. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. . ; but they rarely resort to this unless alarmed or under migratingimpulse. If the latter be the case, it is to visit the interior lakes, orto select a breeding-place. The nest of the Grebe is usually placed in a tuft of rushes on theedge of the water. It is composed exteriorly of large grassy plantsroughly interlaced, and the interior is lined with soft broken grassesdelicately arranged. The eggs vary from three to seven. On shore THE GREBES. 203 they cannot wa
. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. . ; but they rarely resort to this unless alarmed or under migratingimpulse. If the latter be the case, it is to visit the interior lakes, orto select a breeding-place. The nest of the Grebe is usually placed in a tuft of rushes on theedge of the water. It is composed exteriorly of large grassy plantsroughly interlaced, and the interior is lined with soft broken grassesdelicately arranged. The eggs vary from three to seven. On shore THE GREBES. 203 they cannot walk, but creep, so to speak; for they must hold them-selves nearly upright, supported on the croup, the toes and the tarsibeing extended laterally. But ungraceful as they are on shore, somuch greater is their elegance on the water. They are covered witha close warm down, so close and so lustrous that muffs are madefrom their breast. M. Noury, director of the Museum of Natural History at Elboeuf,who has carefully studied the habits of the Grebes, relates of theGreat Crested Grebe, that its nest is a perfect raft, which floats upon. Fig. 80.—Auk. the surface of our ponds and lakes. It is a mass of thick stems ofaquatic herbs closely woven together; and as these materials containa considerable quantity of air in their numerous cells, and variousgases being engendered in decomposition, these aeriform supportersrender the nest lighter than the water. In this improvised ship, andupon this humid bed, the female Grebe silently sits and hatches herprogeny. But if anything unforeseen disturbs her security, this wildbird plunges one foot into the water, which she employs as an oarto transport her dwelling from the threatened danger. Grebes are inhabitants of the old and new Continents. Amongthe European species may be noticed the Crested Grebe {Podiceps 204 REPTILES AND BIRDS. crisfahts, Fig. 8r), about the size of a duck, ornamented with adouble black crest; the Horned Grebe {F, co7^mif
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