Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/487

Rh misty. For the last week the weather has been cold and detestable. The birds' inclinations and activities seem to follow the weather. At 8.20 I have to leave, so cannot say if the actual pairing was accomplished or not.

May 13th.—At the water to-day at 11 a.m., and again at about 1.30 p.m. Each time the Grebes were floating idly about, and showed no disposition towards connubiality.

May 14th.—Arrive at about 7 a.m. The two birds are floating idly about together, and, before long, they front each other with reared necks, in the way often alluded to. Then, without táter-ing, each throws up the head several times into the air, at the same time opening and closing the long slender bill. This I have seen them do several times before, but hardly so pronouncedly. The bill, however, is so fine, and its lines, when thus opened, so soon lost, that this action makes less impression upon one than the gross gobble—as one may call it—of the Shag, and (no doubt) the Common Cormorant. It is a finer and more aristocratic affair altogether. It has a lady-like character—indeed, this can be said of the general appearance and deportment of both the birds. Bismarck, I think, has said, "In races, also, you have the male and the female." The remark was à propos of the Slav peoples, yet the Russian nationality, at any rate, if it shows—really or fancifully—some feminine traits, seems, at least, as strong, persistent, and inflexible as the German, or any other Teutonic one.

In about half an hour the two birds begin fishing, starting off diving with excitement and energy, and, as it seems to me, with a certain amount of consciousness between them. After a time they become separated, and, for a good while, one floats on the water (having finished fishing) quite alone. Now, however, the one is swimming down to it, and they soon rejoin. Both are now floating with their heads in the middle of their backs, looking like pork-pies on the water. As it is now half-past eight, and there is no sign of any nuptial activities, I leave.

My diary ends here. For several mornings after this, and then, on and off, till the end of the month, I continued to visit the lake, but the doings of the birds became less and less interesting, and it became, at last, evident to me that no eggs would be laid. Going again, on the 12th of June, I was unable to dis- Zool. 4th ser. vol. V., December, 1901.