NATATORES. COLYMBIDÆ.
THE LITTLE GREBE, or DABCHICK.
Podiceps minor, I'M Little G
hebridicus^ Black-chin
minor, Little
Mbridicus, Black-chin
ebe,
minor, Little. ,,
hebridicus, Blqèk-chip ; ^
minor, Little ,,
/ ’ Grèbe casiagnéux,
Penn. Brlt.' Zooli vou ii. p. 137. ••
: .__ „ V ». f 138.
MoNT. Omith. D iet."
Bewick, Brit. Birds,, vol. ii.p. 171.
„ g | 172.
F lem. Brit. An. p. 132.
Selby, Brit. Ornith. vol.ii. p. 401.
J enyns, Brit. ATept, p. 254»
Gould, B ird s o f E u ro p e , p t. ii.
TEMM.Man. d ’O rn ith . vol. ii. p. 727.
T h e L it t l e G r e b e , or D a b c h ic k , as it is more generally
called, is the smallest, as well as the most common, of
the British Grebes. I t -remains here throughout the whole
year, inhabiting rush-grown lakes or fish-ponds, and the reedy
parts of most rivers during summer, but in winter it is more
frequent on small streams. In some of these situations, depending
oh the season, 'it may be frequently observed busily
engaged on the surface in search of food, or diving to shelter
itself for security if disturbed by too close an approach.
Though occasional! y seen to use its wings when flapping
along the top of the water, its powers of flight appear to
be limited, and in walking' its progression is still more embarrassed;
it ys/therefore, very, seldom found on land, except
close to. the edge of the water, into which it returns on the
slightest alarm, perfectly conscious that water alone affords it
the required protection.
Its food consists of small fishes, aquatic insects, with some
vegetable, substances'; and a few of, its own soft feathers
from the under part of the body, are usually found in its
stomach. , Mr. Selby remarks, “ During winter, when the
ponds and breioks become frozen, Dabchicks betake them-
'selves to the mouths of rivers and small retired bays, where
theyjeed upon shrimps, fry of fish, and marine insects. At
this season I have several times caught them in Budle Bay,
on the coast of Northumberland, when they happen to be
left in small pools after the recess of the tide. Having first
dived/ they afterwards invariably endeavoured to conceal
themselves among the fronds of the algae, rarely attempting
tp escape by flight.” Nares, in his Glossary, says that the
term Didapper, applied to the Dabchick in some counties,
means a little diver.
Like the other species of this genus, the Little Grebe
breeds among the reeds and coarse herbage of the waters
it inhabits, and, considering the small size of the birds, forms
a large flat nest of aquatic plants, in which from four to six
-eggs are usually deposited. These are one inch seven lines
in length, by one inch three lines in breadth. When first
laid they are perfectly white, but soon become stained with
greenish-yellow and brown, from being in contact with de