442 
COLYMBIDJE. 
fragments of rushes, flung carelessly over them, so as to 
conceal them. The female, on being disturbed, leaves the 
nest by diving ; no bird is seen, but a motion is discerned 
in the surrounding reeds like a pike making his way 
through them, but slower and more regular. I have re¬ 
moved the rushes flung over a nest in the morning, and 
found them replaced in the afternoon. The female seldom 
rises within gunshot of the nest, and if a boat be stationed 
to intercept her, will tack about and alter her course under 
water, without rising to breathe. These birds leave our 
broads in winter, and return with the first glimpse of sun¬ 
shine in the spring, when they soon pair and remain on 
the open water two and two, until the lengthening days 
incline them to build. Many people suppose that the 
Grebe can barely fly at all; on their first arrival in the 
spring, however, I have known them show nearly as much 
facility of flight as a wild fowl. I have seen them, when 
disturbed on one broad, rise and make their point for 
another pool two miles distant; but no sooner do they 
build a nest than all their habits change, and they are the 
most skulking, diving, hiding creatures possible: indeed, 
when a pool of water is much overgrown with reeds, you 
can hardly ever catch sight of them, even if several pairs 
are breeding around you. In 1833 I knew of five Loons' 
nests upon a reedy pool, where I was in the habit of set¬ 
ting nets and trimmers, and, arguing from probability, 
there were other nests of which I knew nothing, yet, 
until the young were hatched, I only twice caught sight 
of a Grebe." 
