BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 415 



occasionally in autumn. It is also found in the Southern 

 Palearctic Region, and throughout the whole of Africa. 

 The adult in summer has the upper parts dark brown ; 

 secondaries, nearly all white ; four innermost primaries also 

 show much white ; head and neck, black, tinged with olive 

 on the crown ; behind the eye is a triangular patch of 

 elongated feathers of a rich golden chestnut colour ; under 

 parts, white, washed on the flanks with dull chestnut ; 

 irides, red ; bill, black, and slightly recurved ; legs and feet, 

 olive-green. Length, about twelve inches. The female is 

 smiilar to the male. 



Little Grebe. 



The Little Grebe {Podiceps minor, Brisson) is a resident in 

 the British Islands, in most parts of temperate Europe, and 

 Asia. It is also met with in the Malay Archipelago, 

 Northern Australia, Madagascar, and Africa. The adult in 

 breeding plumage has the head, neck, and upper parts, 

 dark brown ; secondaries, marked with white ; sides of face 

 and fore part of neck, chestnut ; abdomen, greyish-white ; 

 sides, mottled with deep brown ; irides, brown ; bill, black, 

 lighter at tip ; legs and feet, deep olive. Length, from 

 eight to ten inches. The female is similar to the male. 

 The young show more brown above. (P. 416.) 



