E B E
e t t e c u s t a g n e u x .
immoti as the Dabebick ;
i species a double uoment
id by them supposed to b
ell'as io that which it essi
I To this little bird, as to
Europe, except as we approach the more iw^rth^ft ft;, may b& htìjjàh. trai erein
inland waters, pi* dipping and diving in pursuit of its >>¡5!' it is stiy, ànfl d3s#tsstftii. o f t
presence, Sod avoiding his prying curiosity hv retreating at Ms misrj'oach to -j reedy covert •
practicable, diving among floating «erti» and ".voter-!5!?i; •«•ferro, with Its yiìi aleno óbove
the purpose of breathing, it will remain j •■«tiofltly w&tefewig till the (ganger he east, when
emerge awhsc<:k it»i viw>?tted haiitvt,
easel mid. alert % is t heO«ÌH'hick.w fhio- vipers,.it exhibits on terrajfypitt a complete c
along in an awkward and consti'tnHrd «¡namer, add glad to escaps' to its cmnre&iid'element ai
of %ht,are : also iacOnri.tleraldt! ; unfcss, todeod, i t • risés to a cert&io «»&• when, no
shortness .of the wu>gs and absence.. <>l tail, it can sustain a long and rapid excursion.
pjflQPÌ yet porered with down, and perteetJy incapable of flight, they may
o f food : hence the legs and è a k , which iu most birds are long in acquiring their fuli dpve
in the present instance-the acquisition of-the powers o f wing/ this latter Cndowmeftt beUur
.and ihtoxiidtfely coiinectéd wìth their preservation and the manner of. obtaining subsistence,
Ih winfer, while'in its htsoww plufn^e, the Dabehick jpve&the preference tohroitd exten
orrivers, associating together in ¿matt.numbers during the season of clouds and storm«, and
of spring separating by pairs m-diffetepi drnvctimi.s over the country in/search of n more s
.a- liroroiria-p; o- «kay« gp shs>fe ahòiìe su ■oodi ponds close to thè habitation of
^herald thtì lover of- -the «we ed 'their building witlioul. bv-mg d»s«x.-
ment of the jitniost-difficirtty, tyfejftfty j$»e to danger and gives notice of ifttn
dettghfect tó • irittrk xhei; jdg.yfuiae^s aud agility, wftdè the “one o f happiness and enjoyftwsni
tlieutaetioùs and their 'iiastiiaf 1&ìkìuj s, throws an additional charm over the picture/'
The nest of this bird hi com rinsed of a ruMSot" green plants, loosely interwoven, ivki dh ¡1 >
In this the female deposits her eggs to the number of four or fiu-. the original whìtenesc of
discoloured,.'’apparently from the juic es• of the plants ‘in contact with them, arid the wet. fe
the Podiceps
ve introduced
birds/
ic female Dabi’hick, at least uuder certain ri:
doubtedly in the; habit .of covering hey eggs o.
performed : it is effected in a r
In the summer plumage the beak blackish ; up, baste- and naked skill which extends 0 she ej
\ white c eyes reddish; crown o f the head, back of the n^ck, and chip/of a brownish black with green
su.ii> and fronf o f the neck iff a lively chestnut; thV.- whole of the upper surface together with t
wings blackish with olive reflections; the thighs and rump tjiigeti with ferruginous ;’ the unde«! w
op less silver)- ; logs and feet dark o%e-grccu, without assuming a flesh-colour Ou the nmer
■ in winter the colour o f rue'plumage differs attic from that of the birds of-the tirst wtmJ
•a uniform brown above and more or less silver)' beneath.; the two sexes having little extern»» dtstji
J