CRESTED GREBE. 
203 
The nest, placed among reeds or aquatic herbage, 
is formed of decayed plants, and is sometimes of con- 
siderable bulk. The old birds at this time are very 
wary, the female sliding almost imperceptibly from 
the nest, dives, and rises at a distance, leaving her 
track without a possibility of being discovered. 
In a specimen from Norfolk the forehead and 
crown are greyish brown, and on each side of the 
latter the feathers become elongated and form two 
lengthened tufts, the colours gradually shading into 
deep greyish black ; from the base of these tufts, 
around the auriculars and throat, springs an ample 
ruff, which can be displayed at pleasure ; the chin 
and below the eyes shading into orange-brown, 
which deepens in shade towards the terminal end 
of the ruff, where it becomes lustrous greyish black ; 
the occiput and neck succeeding the ruff are chest- 
nut-red and brownish black intermixed ; the back 
of the neck, upper parts, and wings, are blackish 
brown, darker on the back, and there with slight 
greenish reflections ; secondaries white ; the back of 
the neck tinted with grey ; tho fore part of the 
neck below the ruff, breast, belly, and vent, silvery 
white ; sides of the breast and flanks dashed with 
brown and chestnut. The young birds want the 
ruff and the deeper rufous tints in the plumage, av d 
it has generally been considered that these were the 
distinctions of the nuptial dress, but Mr. Yarrell 
states that a specimen kept in St. James’ Park by 
the Ornithological Society has retained its ruff for 
