I n Surrey one, a young bird, was c a p t u r e d near Reigate, on the 28th.
of F e b r u a r y , 1849. An adult male was shot in the month of J u n e,
on the L i n c o l n s h i r e fens, Mr. W i l l i am Felkin, J u n i o r , of Carrington,
near N o t t i n g h a m , has informed me. It has occurred also on Croxby
L a k e . In Sussex, three near 13attle, one of them the beginning of
M a r c h , 1848. In N o r t h a m p t o n s h i r e , one was shot on the 27th. of
J a n u a r y , 1855, on the River Nene, as I am informed by the H o n . T.
L. P o w y s ; he adds, that it has also occurred at l i l a t h e r w y c k e Park,
t h e seat of Augustus Stafford, E s q . , M . P . In Norfolk four were shot
near Yarmouth, on the 14th. of A p r i l , 1851; t h e y arc common on the
Broads, a n d b r e e d t h e r e : twenty-nine were collected in t h e same county,
i n the months of A p r i l and May, 1851, b y R i c h a r d Strangways, E s q .;
one at Diss Mere, the e n d of J u l y , 18.34. One of these b i r d s , a male,
was shot in F e b r u a r y , 1850, at Blyth, in N o r t h u m b e r l a n d . One on
t h e 27th. of N o v e m b e r , 1852, n e a r H e n l e y - u p o n - T h a m e s , in Oxfordshire.
I n Cornwall, t h e y are not xmcomnion off the coast in winter, one was
shot on the river Helford, near Falmouth, in F e b r u a r y , 1856. Also
in Devon, but not common, one shot by R. Cameron, Esq.
I n Wales, Mr. D i l l w y n has noticed the species in Glamorganshire.
I n Scotland, it is considered rather a rare winter visitor, in Caithness,
etc. In East Lothian it is described as not uncommon on the
F o r t h , in winter. They b r e e d in the H e b r i d e s.
I n I r e l a n d , it is a perennial resident on the larger lakes, but is
only occasionally seen.
T h e i r haunts are lakes, p o n d s , r i v e r s , a n d creeks of t h e sea, if these
i n d e e d are bordered with reeds and other such covert. In winter
frost and ice send t h em down to the mouths of rivers a n d the coast.
Towards evening this species becomes active and lively, having
p r e v i o u s l y been disposed to float about quietly, with the head drawn
b a c k on the plumage.
T h e y migrate in small and large nocks of from seven or eight to
fifty or more, d u r i n g the night, taking advantage of calm weather.
W h e n c Gaffer Winter* is creeping on, t h e y pass to the south, and in
M a r c h r e t u r n in pairs t o t h e i r i n t e n d e d breeding-places.
T h e skin of the breast of this Grebe has become a fashionable
s u b s t i t u t e for fur, and several were e x h i b i t e d accordingly in t h e Great
E x h i b i t i o n of 1851. One of these birds has been kept on t h e water
i n St. J a m e s ' P a r k , London. They appear to go in small flocks of
eight or nine.
T h e y can fly well, a n d to a distance of two or three miles or more;
bxit d u r i n g the time they are engaged with their nest, they resort
e x c l u s i v e l y to diving, in which, t h e y are perfect adepts, for security,
r a i s i n g the head only above water to b r e a t h e , after a stretch of a
couple of h u n d r e d yards. They do not excel in walking or r u n n i n g,
b u t swim admirably, and dive with remarkable quickness: they float
low. The female, ' i f disturbed from her charge, seldom vises within
gunshot, and if a boat be stationed to intercept her, will tack about
and alter her course under water, without rising to b r e a t h e .'
Their food, procured by diving, is made up of small fish and y o u ng
fry, crustácea, water-insects and their larva?, small frogs, t a d p o l e s , and
p a r t s of p l a n t s ; and c i t is a r r m a r k a b l e fact that the specimens obtained
of this species i n v a r i a b l y prove to have feathers in their stomachs,
from the breast of t h e b i r d itself/
The note sounds like the words ' c u c k , cuck, cuck,' and ' c r a s e r r,
c r a a r r . '
T h e Loon breeds in fresh water, and makes its nest, such as it is,
e a r l y in the year—in the month of April. It is a very large and
careless mass of weeds, flags, and other water-plants, partly sunk
u n d e r , and partly raised above the water, the top b e i n g slightly hollowed.
The general width is about a foot or a l i t t l e over; the height
about half as much.
The eggs are three or four, and occasionally five. Four appears
to be the usual average number, but one of t h em is g e n e r a l l y addled.
They are concealed by fragments of rushes placed over them, and if
these be removed others arc added. Their colour is white or greenish
white.
V a r r e l l says, ' T h e parent birds are very careful of their young,
t a k i n g them down with them for security under their wings when
t h e y dive.' According to .Meyer, the birds pair for life, and haunt
t h e same nesting-place year after year, both assisting in the work of
nidification. The y o u n g swim about as soon as h a t c h e d , scrambling up
at times on t h e i r mother's back, and then again d a r t i n g and gambolling
about.
I f the nest or eggs be taken, the b i r d continues laying over and
over again.
Male; weight, about two pounds and a half; l e n g t h , one foot nine
inches to one foot t e n ; b i l l , dusky .along the t o p , the base vermilion
red, the tip pale horn-colour; between the bill and the eye is a bare
r e d space, that is to say, in t h e breeding-season, for afterwards it fades
to a dusky colour. Iris, b r i g h t , but pale crimson or pink r e d ; over
t h e eye is a white streak. Forehead and crown, greyish brown; (he
crest of this bird, which is long and silky, is crcctible at pleasure,
b u t ordinarily stands out b a c k w a r d like two l o n g e a r s ; it is as t h e h e a d,
t h e sides of which shade into yellowish red and white, and a ruff