Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/370

342 weeds on the place—whether nest or otherwise—and the female then dives and lays a piece too. They lay two or three pieces between them, but in a very perfunctory manner, and then swim away. Now when the male, as I believe it to have been, leapt up the first time and pairing ensued, he assumed a peculiar pose, curling his neck over and down, with the bill pointing at the ground (weeds) perhaps six inches above it, and stood thus, fixed and rigid, for some moments (as though making a point) before sinking down and lying all along. There was no mistaking the entirely sexual character of this strange performance, the peculiar fixed rigidity full of import and expression. On the two subsequent occasions of his leaping up he made precisely this same pose; his actions from first to last—from his approach and leap to his lying along—were identical in every respect. That it was the larger of the two birds on these two second occasions (the one that I have seen last year act as the male as well as as the female) there is no doubt whatever, and I have hardly, if at all, less doubt that it was the same one (the male) on the first occasion also, and that the female acted as the male bird usually does.

April 26th.—Shortly after I come (about 7 a.m.) the Grebes approach the point of weeds, and, when just off it, front each other, toying with their bills. There is nothing further, however, and shortly both swim together to the opposite shore, and begin fishing. I see each of them come up with a fish, and swallow it. They then swim back to the platform or nest, and the male, without any doubt (that is to say, the considerably larger one which has performed the usual office of the male on various occasions last year), leaps up, and lies along precisely as described yesterday. The female comes up, and seems about to ascend, but (just as last year, both with her and the male) does not do so, and after a little swims out to a short distance, and remains riding at anchor. The male looks round at her once or twice, then stands up, manipulates the weeds a little with his bill, lies along as before, and waits again. This proving to no purpose, he comes off, and rejoins the female, and both swim quietly in each other's company. This is at about 7.30. At 8.15 the birds return, and there is just the same thing in all essential particulars, the male pulling the weeds about in a desultory manner before coming off into the water.