BRITISH BIRDS, 
155 
The Little Grebe is a true aquatic, for it feldom 
quits the water, nor ventures beyond the fedgy 
margins of the lake where it has taken up its abode. 
It is a mofl: excellent diver, and can remain a long 
while under water, in purfuit of its prey, or to fhun 
danger. It is found in almoft every lake, and 
fometimes upon rivers, but feldom goes out to fea. 
Its food is of the fame kind, and its habits much 
the fame as thofe of the other Grebes. 
Ornithologifts and fportfmen defcribe the nefl of 
this bird as being of a large fize, and compofed of 
a very great quantity of grafs and water plants, 
at lead: a foot in thicknefs, and fo placed in the 
water, that the female hatches her eggs amidfl: the 
continual wet, in which they were firft laid : and it 
is conjedured that the natural warmth of her body 
occafions a fermentation of the herbage, which great- 
ly aids the incubation. She lays from four to fix 
eggs, of a yellowifh dull white colour, and is faid 
to cover up, or hide them, with the furrounding 
leaves, every time fhe has bccafion to ftir abroad. 
This fpecies of the Grebe is an inhabitant of both 
Europe and America. In feveral fpecimens fur- 
nifhed by the author’s fporting friends, the differ-^ 
ence was very trifling, except that the plumage of 
fome was more daflied with red than that of others. 
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