so far .north as latitude 66°, is precisely similar to that of
the broads in Norfolk and the meres of Holland, where some
of the Grebes are so numerous. These Grebes are by no
means shy, and when undisturbed amongst the reeds and
grass, keep up an incessant croaking. They do not, like
many of the divers, use their wings, under water, but glide
through it, however, with equal swiftness, and dart through
thick entangled masses of weeds and grass with the ease
and rapidity of a fish. From the very weedy nature of the
waters they invariably frequent, using their wings in diving
would impede their progress. I have had repeated opportunities
of observing them when under water.”
The Red-necked Grebe nests in many parts of Russia and
Poland; also, sparingly, in Bohemia; and it occurs on
migration over the greater part of Europe, and in the Mediterranean.
It is a rare visitant to Asia Minor, Egypt, and
north-eastern Africa,' but it would appear that some pairs
breed in Morocco. Across Northern Asia, in Japan, and
throughout North America, there occurs a form which was
first remarked in Greenland, and was distinguished by
Reinhardt by the name of Podiceps holboelli. This form is
characterized by a uniformly greater size, a bill disproportionately
larger, stouter, differently shaped and coloured;
and a tarsus longer, both absolutely and relatively to the
length of the toes. According to Severtzoff these two forms
meet in Turkestan.
The nest is placed among aquatic herbage and reeds,
being burlt of similar decayed materials; and the eggs are
of a^ dull white colour tinged with green, averaging 2 by
1-3 in. Tim call-note is a loud clear keck, keck, keck. It
feeds on small fish, crustaceans, and aquatic insects. The
stomach of one examined by Montagu was found to be distended
with its own feathers and small seeds.
Ihe adult bird has both mandibles of the beak black, except
at the base, where they are yellow; the irides red; top of the
head, and back of the neck, rich dark brown, almost black;
cheeks, chin, ^ and throat fine bluish-grey, margined with
white, which forms a sub-ocular streak; back, wing-coverts,
tertials, and rump dark brown; wing-primaries nearly black;
the secondaries mostly white, forming a conspicuous patch;
neck in front rich chestnut-red ; breast and belly silky-white,
flecked with brown ; sides under the wing, flanks, and under
tail-coverts greyish-brown; legs and toes dark greenish-
brown on the outer surface, the inner surface greenish-
yellow.
The whole length is sixteen inches and a half. From the
carpal joint to the end of the primaries seven inches.
Young birds have the head and neck behind dusky-brown;
the back and wings neither so dark in the brown colour, nor
so uniform in the tint, as in the adult birds, the margins of
the feathers being ash-brown; chin, throat, and neck in
front greyish-white ; other parts as in the more adult birds.
The Author has seen young birds more than half grown
which exhibited longitudinal dark stripes on a light groundcolour
down the neck.
Mr. John Marshall of Taunton has an albino taken near
Beacliy Head in 1879.
The figure below represents the form of the foot in the
Grebes.