RED-NECKED GREBE.
to six congers, the other five neighing between twenty and thirly pounds, with uve-and-tiventy score of
rotk-ivbiting and five score of other fish.
The summer plumage appears to be retained later in the season by this species titan by its relative
the Great Crested Grebe. While brought up fishing on the Church rocks oil' Shoreham, on the 18th
of September, 1881, I noticed an adult fly past our boat within half a gun-shot, but being engaged at the
moment ia hauling up the line, I was unable to snatch up the breech-loader in time to secure it; the
bird appeared exceedingly brightly coloured, none of the tints assumed during the breeding-season having
yet faded. Again, about a fortnight later, on the 4th of Octolicr, while brought up at the same spot, another
passed, making its way west, in almost similar plumage, though slight signs uf a change in the bright
red tints of the neck seemed to have taken place.
I havo met with but few of this species during the winter months, but I
fine specimen, exhibiting the plumage put un at that season, otf Nhoreham, on tb
This was A few days after the terrible gale that commenced on the 18th of the r
by the excessive cold that caused such destruction to all small birds; the
drovo thousands of Geese and other Wildfowl into the Channel along the south
of various species were observed at the same time within a short distance
10th of December, 1S70, the weather, though exceedingly cold with a heavy
scarcely a breath of wind, I met with im unusual number of Grebes collect
for food over the sandy flats Mwecn Luncing and Worthing. A few of differei
as specimens, among which was a Bed-mt-ked Grebe ; judging from its small SUM
and the absence of gloss on the feathers of the breast so conspicuous on som
to believe it was an immature bird in the plumage of the first winter.
26th f Jan ary, 1881.
tooth lud WE s followed
contin led sei erity also
of the shore. On Uta
frost, being fine with
9 at er, diving
t spec 3 obtained
The juvenile which, as previously stated, was obtained on Brcydon on the
nd nu ny Grebes
dingy colouring.
adult , I at i inclined
lltu f Aug ust, 1873,
proved exceedingly wary, and a whole day was passed in the attempt to make
•essful shot, and
even when fatally wounded be escaped for A time. The diminutive stranger I
ras firs Sighted on the
deep water nt the west end of the flats, diving among the masses of dense grec
n weed that orm such
a favourite resort for grey mullet; on the ppproach of the punt it at once ducked
Mow the su rface, and
in some manner succeeded in concealing itself in the tangle. Though three b
ats with my puntraen,
all experienced gunners and well up to the work of searching for crippled fowl.
ded tl e spot at
Hie distance of forty or fifty yards apart, no signs of a ripple on the surface or even the slightest
movement among the weeds could be detected during the hour and half we remained on the watch.
As A last resource we moved to the bank on the north side of the Hats, and, by the help of the glasses,
kept the surface of the water at the spot we had lost sight of the bird under constant supervision for
about two hours without any result. Then, having produced refreshments, another hour was passed; on
looking again with the glasses soon after our repast was finished, the small direr was discovered swimming
slowly about here and there on tin- open water among the weeds, and occasionally plunging In-low the surface,
evidently busily engaged in pursuit of food. The punt was next sculled silently towards tins spot, and without
Laving raised the slightest alarm, a shot was tired from the big gnu at about the distance of llfty yards, and
the smoke clearing off, the bird was lying apparently helpless on the water. Great was the astonishment
when, on an attempt being made to pick up our prize, it gave n short struggle and at once disappeared beluw
the surface, and remained invisible during the whole of the afternoon, not a sign or its presence being
detected, though we waited till darkness had set in. Having determined to rake up and thoroughly aartk
through the weeds * about this part of the water, we made an curly start the following morning. On arriving
at the spot, however, soon after daybreak, the bird was discovered floating dead in a small ojieu pool among
* "n I !.•!!.,• r SSSaaai " wounded ll i...,i.|. HINT iLv.J IIINT P.T .u.j.-uded lie WIODI IU tliia | IT! uf ILI water. SM MWBNL li) (lii'iM menu.
RED-NECKED GREBE.
the weeds within a yard or two of where it had been lost sight of. There is little doubt that it. had got
entangled in this dense mass of twining water-plants, and, unable to Tree itself owing to the wounds inllicted
by the shot, had finally been drowned. This specimen proved exceedingly small, apparently not half the size
of the bird figured in winter plumage; the pinion-feathers of the wing also wen- very short, iierha|>s scarcely
full-grown—so powerless, iu fact, that it seemed a mystery how the juvenile had succeeded in making its way
across the stormy seas from the northern lakes where the species is reported to breed. I did not take the
weights of either the large or small bird, but the length of both is recorded and also the measurements of I lie
wings, which may perhaps be of service in giving some idea as to the size of the two specimens.
The immature bird on Plate I. was fifteen and a half inches in length, from the carpal joint to the end
of the primaries five and a half inches, second joint of wing three noil a quarter inches. The bin! in
winter plumage on Plate 11. was twenty and a half inches in length, from the carpal joint to the end of the
primaries seven and a quarter inches, Ihe second joint or wing four and a half inches. The upper and
lower mandibles of the immature bird were both of a brown-horn tint, which was lighter towards the
point, and wilh bright yellow around the base; the iris pale yellow ; the bare line between the eye anil I lie base
of the beak a brown flesh-lint. Legs a greyish-green tinge on the outside, and a paler tint of the same
colour on the inner side; webs clouded with yellowish spots or blotches.
The Red-necked Grebe represented on Plate 11., showing winter plumage and obtained oil' Shorcham
after the gales of January 1881, was easily secured, hut a very short time Mug spent in his pursuit. The
bird was sighted swimming by itself about a quarter of a mile at sea, late in the afternoon, just as our punt had
been turned to make for the shore. Paying Utile or no attention to the approach of our craft, the shoulder-gun
was brought info use, as the heavy swell rolling towards the beach would have rendered the aim of the
punt-gun very uncertain. Luckily the bird was turned over perfectly dead without a struggle, as hud it
dived there would probably havo been no little difficulty in securing it iu the broken water. This was a flue
largo bird, nearly as weighty as many of thy Great Crested Grebes I have met with in winter. The
mandibles, which were strong and sharply pointed, were a pale brown or horn tint, lighter towards the point,
the upper exhibiting a black line for about half its length, the base of both bright yellow. Iris a very pale
straw- or lemon-yellow tint, streaked with lines like crystal, which rendered it almost colourless; the base-line
Mweou the eye and the base of ihe beak a deep nil flesh-tint. Legs a dark browni-b green on the outside, a
lighter shade on the inner side, and the webs the same colours with pale yellow blotches diffused over them.
1 have met with hut few chances of making observations on Ihe colouring of the eyes of this species in
summer plumnge, but one frcsh-klllcd bird having been examined. Iu this individual Ihe iris was perfectly
colourless, a pearly white with lines like crystal radiating from the pupil and giving a very brilliant appearance
to the eye.
The description of the colouring of the iris of the Red-necked Grebe by several writers is somewbit
conflicting and decidedly at variance with my own experience. Iu Goidd's ' llirds of Great Britain * wo arc
told, where reti-rencc is made to Ihe adults, that flic " hides are red; " and the same author states, " The
young bird uf the year has neither the red neck nor the elongated brad-feathers; the throat is brownish;
irides brown." This is all at variance with the notes 1 made on the juvenile obtained on Ilreydoa in
August 1B73 nnd figured on Plate I. "The irides red" is also the description given of the eyes of the
ndults iu the fourth edition of Yanvil, and a still more recently published work refers to them as "irides
brownish red."
Mr. Gttnn, of Norwich, who is well acquainted wilh this species, has just sent me word that on the ¿2nd
of October, 1885, he received an adult female of the Red-necked Gn-lie, shot the previous day, and the eyes
proved lo he white. Over twenty years ago Mr. Glum tailed atlention to fhe colour of the eyes of this species
in his notes to the ' Naturalist,' vol. iii. page 30, published at lluddersfield in February 1805, stating that the