448 THE BIRDS OF KENT 



habit it is commonly called the Sprat Loon in Kent. It 

 is very rarely procured on this coast in full dress ; they 

 are usually immature birds, but Mr. Skinner, of Faver- 

 sham, mentions one shot on November 11, 1869, with 

 indications of the red throat. 



Mr. H. Payne obtained a male on the Med way, near 

 Sheerness, December 5, 1890, now in the Maidstone 

 Museum. 



Family PODICIPID^. 



Genus PODICIPES, Liniicons. 



GEEAT CKESTED GEEBE. 



Podicipes cristatus (Linnaeus). >S'.-ZV., i., p. 222 

 (1766). 



The Great Crested Grebe is a winter visitor to the 

 coast of Kent, and only sparingly in any locality. They 

 are always in winter or immature dress. It is included 

 in every list of the birds found in the county, and nearly 

 all collections contain specimens. Boys adds it to his 

 Birds of Sandwich, 1792. The Kev. J. Pemberton Bart- 

 lett, in 1844, says " it has been seen in Eomney Marsh." 



A specimen in the Maidstone Museum was obtained 

 on the Med way in 1876, by Mr. AV. W. Allport, and 

 another at Sheerness, November 19, 1890, by Mr. H. 

 Payne. Mr. E. G. Eoger procured one which was caught 

 on the Eoyal Military Canal in Eomney Marsh not far 

 from Ham Street, Orlestone, Kent, in 1905. 



Mr. E. J. Balston shot one of these birds in the lower 

 part of the Medway about 1880. 



