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P o d ic e p s g r is e ig e n a (Boddaert*).
THE RED-NECKED GREBE.
Podiceps rubricollis.
The R ed-necked Grebe is not found in this country so
frequently as the Grebe last described; and it is mostly a
winter visitor, young birds of the year being of much more
frequent occurrence than the adults. It is intermediate in size
between the Great Crested Grebe, and the Horned or Sclavo-
nian Grebe, and differs from the other species found in this
country in having a much longer and stronger bill in proportion
to the bulk of the bird, and the base of the bill is mostly
yellow; it is also considered to be more marine in its habits.
Like the other Grebes it is an expert diver, and very difficult
to obtain when at sea, or in other extensive waters where there
is ample space for the exercise of its powers. Its occurrence
on our shores is irregular, and, as a rule, in severe winters;
but Mr. Cordeaux informs the Editor that since he wrote
his ‘ Birds of the Humber District,’ he has found this
species more common there in the autumn and winter than
the Great Crested Grebe. In February, 1865, Mr. Stevenson
* Oolymbus grisegena, Boddaert, Table des PI. Enl. p. 55 (1783).
examined or heard of no less than thirty-five examples, most
of which were killed on the east coast. Mr. Hancock says
that it generally appears in Northumberland and Durham in
severe weather; he has, however, one in summer plumage
which was taken alive on Cullereoat sands; and Mr. C. M.
Adamson shot one at Holy Island in mature plumage, with
a few red feathers on the neck and breast, on the 8tli of
October, 1851. This latter bird had its gizzard full of
feathers, and a quantity of whole shrimps in its gullet.
Examples have been obtained at irregular intervals in Essex,
Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Dorsetshire, and Devonshire; but
in Cornwall, according to Mr. Rodd, it is not uncommon in
winter, and specimens in nearly adult plumage are sometimes
obtained in spring.
Along the east coast of Scotland Mr. R. Gray says that
the Red-necked Grebe is tolerably frequent, but less so on
the west coast; leaving in April and returning in autumn.
In the Orkneys it is not uncommon, but in Shetland it
appears to be rare. In Ireland it is stated by Thompson
to be the rarest of the Grebes, and he only mentions four
examples, killed at different times, in the counties of Down,
Antrim, Dublin, Wexford, and Cork.
The Red-necked Grebe has never been known to nest in
this country, but it breeds abundantly on some of the
waters of Denmark, Holstein, and Northern Germany; and
although rare in the northern districts of Norway, it is resident
in the southern portions of that country. The Author
was favoured by the late Mr. Dann with the following notes
from his observations of its habits in Sweden :—“ The Rednecked
Grebe is common during the breeding-season on
many of the shallow reedy lakes at the head of the Bothnian
Gulf, particularly between Pitea and Lulea. They seem to
be confined to the vicinity of the coast of the Baltic. I
have never met with them anywhere in the interior of the
country, except in Scona, and in the southern provinces of
Sweden, although the whole of Northern Scandinavia abounds
with lakes. The character of those lakes, where alone I
have seen and procured specimens of the Red-necked Grebe,