SCLAVONIAN GREBE.
water loeu and firths, I met with these birds repeatedly in spring, but never noticed a single specimen
during autumn or winter. The only occasion on which this Grebe was supposed to have been identified in
the Western Highlands has already been referred to; other diiing-birds somewhat resembling these Grebes
tare BEN reported, hut those from whom my information was drawn could scarcely he trusted, Ibeir
descriptions of plunMSJB and habits being vague and iu some instances contradictory. An exceedingly fine
male in my collection was obtained on Loch Slyn, in the east of Rirss-shiro, on the Mth or March, 1800. A
strung breeiic from the east was blowing when a pair of Grebes were sighted within thirty yards of the bank ;
one, 1 ascertained by the aid of the glasses, was in the full adult dress, while its mate (evidently a female by
the size) exhibited not a single stain of colour on a plumage of spotless white. Not having any desire to
add such varieties to my collection, I secured the brightly coloured male with the first barrel, when the albino
vanished from sight, and the swell rolling across the loch put an clleetual stop to any chance of again detecting
the stranger. During the next feu days, on the Dornoch Tirth and also at the Little Kerry, I met with several
line and highly colouml birds; with the exception of a female needed as a specimen, these were allowed to
escape; in every instance they proved utterly unsuspicious of danger. The smaller Grebes art* almost
invariably fearless till molested ; if unci' alarmed it will, however, be found by no means easy to obtain a shot.
For safely they trust almost entirely to diving, their actions below ihe surface being exceedingly pu/zling ;
a wounded bird may he watched in clear wafer turning and twisting with the greatest case, ils singular
lolvcs or toes being used tis paddles and feathered 1-etwein each stroke in the most rapid manner.
A severe winter often brings many of these birds in the plain and unpretending dress assumed at that
season along the cast coast, several finding their way on to the broads and rivers when free from ice. The flat
sandy shores of the numerous marshes along the coasts of Kent, Sussex, and Hampshire are freipieuted at
the seasons of migration by numbers of Grebes uf all species, the large extent of shoal water at low tide
enabling them to secure an abundant supply of small fish and marine insects, Rye Bay and the mussel-banks
off Lancing being exceedingly favoured resorts. At times I have noticed small parties of these Grebes, for
the mo-t part young birds, in the pools of brackish water inside the shingle-hanks and also in the sluices and
marsh-dykes.
My notes contain descriptions of many changes of plumage exhibited by this specie*, as well as the colours
of the soft parts at various seasons: to give all these is scarcely necessary; it may not, however, be out of
place to state that the line of hare flesh which extends from the eye, and runs with I slight break at the gape
about hair down the lower mandible, is conspicuous at all seasons aud is one uf the menus by which this species
may he distinguished from the Eared Grebe. In the full plumage this flesh-mark is of a deep reddish tint,
though in wilder it fades considerably in colour.
EARED GREBE
PODICEPS NIGRICOLLIS.
TiioiGn possibly not an tin frequent visitor during the breeding-season, in days gone by, to several of the
broads in Ihe eastern counties, this species has never come under my observation alive in summer.
That they have nested and hatched their young in this country there is, however, not the slightest doubt,
a full-plumaged adult and a couple of doimy mites having been brought, as a great prize, by a marshuiau
whom I had requested merely to look out for and ascertain the usual haunts of a pair that were reported
to frequent a certain corner on a large sheet of water. The manner in which these specimens had bean
procured rendered them Useless for my collection; aud under the impression that others would he met
with on some future occasion. I took no notes of the colouring or the markings on the soft parts or the
juveniles: since that date, however, now nearly twenty years ago, I have only met with these Grebes
after the unpretending dress put on at the close of autumn had been assumed.
In w inter this species is occasionally to he seen olf the Sussex coast as well as on the pools and rivers in
the salt marshes. Some years liack while staying at an inn in I'evensey Level, so as to be on the sput
fur Snipe-shooting, I learned that a small diving-fowl had been caught by a dog; and On visiting the
back kitchen, where the captive was disporting itself in a Large tub of water covered with a net, I
found what appeared to be a winter-plumaged Schivoninn Grebe*. In order to make observations ou its
powers of locomotion on dry land, the bird was fished out aud set at liberty on the brick floor: while
shafling round with the wings spread I succeeded in taking two or three rough sketches; these drawings
now plainly indicate the species, viz. the Eared Grebe. The white bar on the wing of the Slavonian Grebe
is merely a patch of about an inch and a half in length, while in the present specie-, it extends over two
joints: this very conspicuous mark renders it possible to distinguish the birds, even in winter plumage,
while on wing. On the 10th of December, 1870 (a light breeze from the north, a sharp frost setting iu
after midday), I was shooting olf the coast between Slioreham and Worthing, and at half-ebb came iu
among the old groins and breakwaters which stretch out lu sea for a considerable distance. All attractive
harbour for small fish, shrimps, prawns, and other marine insects is here ntforded by the shelter of the
decaying piles and planks that still hold together, and food being always abundant iu fine weather,
numbers of Grebes and Divers are drawn towards this happy hiiuling-gruuud. During the course of tha
afternoon I plainly identified every species of our British Grebes, obtaining specimens in lull winter plumage
of the Great Crested, Rcd-uecked, and Eared, as well as passing and closely examining several Sclavoniau in
the shoal water near the sands. On lauding and mounting lo the top of the beach, to obtain a better view of
the bay through the glasses, a couple of Little Grebes were observed busily fishing in a brackish pool beyond
the shingle-hanks. One or two other specimens of the Eared Grebe shot by local gunners along the Sussex
coast have come under my observation during the past few years : these all exhibited the full winter plumage.