what remarkable quickness the Dabchick scratches the weeds over her eggs with her feet when she perceives
herself observed, so as not to lead even to the suspicion that any were deposited on the ill-shapen floating
mass: this work o f an instant displays as much skill in deception as can well be imagined. The eggs
thus covered, which were originally white, are so stained with the colouring-matter of the weeds, that
they assume an unnatural appearance. One o f the most interesting points in the bird’s history has yet
to be detailed, namely, the peculiar colouring of its infantine age, or at the age of one or two days; and
as this state is very rarely seen, I have considered it advisable to illustrate it on the accompanying Plate.
So active and truly aquatic is the Dabchick, even at this early period of its existence, that it is almost
impossible to see it in a state o f nature; for immediately after the young birds are hatched they either take
to the water of their own accord, or cling, when not more than an hour old, to the backs o f their parents,
who dive away with them out o f harm’s way. To gain an intimate acquaintance with these little creatures, it
would be well, if the morning of hatching could be ascertained, to take one or more o f the eggs and place
them in a small basket, lined with flannel or other warm material, before- the fire, when the tiny occupants
will soon crack their shells and emerge into the world; in an hour their downy feathers will become dry,
and the birds be ready to sit for their portraits. Such was the mode I adopted for procuring the subjects o f
the accompanying illustration. In another instance, when out fishing, a friend, Mr. Elliot o f Chesham,
shot a Dabchick whilst diving across a shallow stream; on emerging, wounded, at the surface, two young
ones, clinging to her back, were caught in my landing-net. The delicate rose-coloured bills, harlequin-like
markings, and rosy-white aprons o f these infant Dabchicks render them extremely interesting. As they
advance in age, these markings gradually give place to a uniform olive-grey plumage on the upper surface
and silvery-grey on the abdomen—a style o f dress characteristic o f the adults in winter.
The food of the Dabchick consists o f insects o f various kinds and their larvae, the fry of fishes, and doubtless
their ova. That fish are taken we have positive evidence from examples having been repeatedly picked
up dead by tbe fishermen of the Thames, with a Bull-head or Miller’s Thumb ( Coitus gobio) in their throats,
and by wbich they had evidently been cboked in tbe act o f swallowing them. That it is especially fond o f insects
is shown by the great activity it displays, when in captivity, in capturing house-flies and other Diptera. Those
who have visited Paris will probably have seen the Grebes in the window o f the restaurateur in the Rue de
Rivoli. For years have a pair o f these birds been living, apparently in the greatest enjoyment, within the
glass window, attracting the admiration of all the passers-by. The extreme agility with which they sailed
round their little prison, or scrambled over the half-submerged piece o f rock for a fly, was very remarkable.
That no bird can be more easily kept in a state o f confinement is certain; and it is to be regretted that
neither the directors o f the Crystal Palace Company at Sydenham nor the Zoological Society in the
Regent’s Park, have succeeded in procuring them for their ponds: for a more attractive object for the
basins within the Crystal Palace could scarcely be found.
The plumage o f the adults in summer may be briefly described. The male has the crown o f the head, all
the upper surface, chest, and flanks olivaceous black; abdomen silvery black; chin and bill jet-black ; sides
of tbe neck and throat rich chestnut; irides dark brown; feet greenish black, nails white; gape greenish
yellow; inside o f the mouth fleshy white, tinged with green: weight 7 ounces.
The female is very similar in colour, but somewhat smaller in size.
In winter both sexes have the crown o f the head and all the upper surface o f the body silvery g rey; the
upper mandible olive-brown; under mandible fleshy white; legs as in summer.
The colouring of the young, from a day to a week old, is as follows: bill rosy flesh-colour; crown, neck,
and upper surface downy-black, with harlequin-like stripes of white about the sides o f the head and face,
and broad stripes of rich light chestnut-hrown down the front part o f the neck and the whole o f the upper
surface; the belly white.
The Plate represents a male, a female, and a nest with a brood of young, a day old, all o f the natural size.
The plant is the Ranunculusfluviatilis.