TJT'PLE GREBE. 
being probably the attraction that drew tlieni to the spot*. Four or five young birds were taken about 
the same time by a shrimper who was catching “ hunters ” f up one of the dykes running through the 
marshes towards Shoreham harbour. 
I am aware it has been stated by some authors that tlie Little Grebe can walk with ease, standing 
at the same time upright and proceeding at a moderate pace. Though several have at times come under 
my observation squatting among the bright green grass on the spits of land that extend into some of the 
northern lochs, I never noticed the birds at a greater distance than three or four feet from the water. 
On leaving or returning to their natural element, whether alarmed or of their own accord, they invariably 
appeared to shuffle over the ground without raising the breast above an inch or two from the surface. 
So plentiful were these birds some years back in the east of Ross-shire that on one occasion, in April 1869, 
I counted three pairs sitting among the herbage within the distance of sixty or seventy yards from one 
another. A couple that happened to be within range and were needed as specimens owed their lives to 
the fact that a Mute Swan w^as sleeping quietly on the bank less than a yard beyond them. 
I repeatedly came across the nests of this species among the dense cover at a small loch in Cromarty with 
a Gaelic name I could never catch — a reed-growm stretch of mud and w'ater a short distance to the south-east 
of Loch Slyn. These birds apparently commenced breeding early in April, the full complement of eggs being 
usually laid before the middle of the month. On the 27th of May, 1869, having ascertained by previous 
inspection that tw'o or three broods had been hatched out, I w'as enabled by the help of an india-rubber boat 
to thoroughly explore the reeds and stagnant pools as Avell as the wdiole of the open w'ater. Eor several hours 
no success w^as met w'ith, and at length, utterly worn out by the labour of struggling through these almost 
impassable swamps, I made myself as comfortable in the buoyant craft as circumstances would permit, and 
sought rest and refreshment while w atching the actions of a pair of old birds that for some time had closely 
followed my movements. After waiting for over an hour and finding that the Grebes evinced no signs 
of taking their departure, I w'orked the boat suddenly in their direction, wdien a single downy youngster 
was detected and speedily bagged by a small breech-loader. On turning to look round the pool on which 
I had been brought up, twn more wnre at once discerned floating perfectly dead on the wnter. These 
must have dived below the surface during their efforts to escape, and having risen underneath the boat 
would naturally perish by drowning, not possessing sufficient strength to free themselves from the inflated 
cylinders surrounding the bottom. The tiny mites had evidently but recently left the egg, their beaks 
exhibiting a fresh rose tint tipped wdth a paler hue, the legs and feet being of a blue livid flesh. 
On this loch the whole of the nests I met wdth wnre floating on the surface, moored among the 
reeds, rushes, or tangled wntcr-plants on the deeper and more open parts of the pool. At the larger sheet 
of water known as Loch Slyn, and distant only about half a mile, all I examined w'ere connected with 
the rank grass and other herbage springing from the banks. 
* A apcciincn I sccxired contained at least a handful of these horrible creatures. 
t Local name for a species of prawn that frequents brackish water. 
