CRESTED GREBE. 253 



above, dusky toward the margins, as are the claws. The 

 upper part of the head and the occipital tufts are greyish- 

 black tinged with green ; the ruff light brownish-red anteri- 

 orly, greyish-black behind ; from the upper mandible over 

 the eye is a reddish-white band, and part of the throat and 

 cheeks is white. Below the ruff the fore part of the neck is 

 white, tinged with brown on the sides, the hind parts black- 

 ish grey. The lower parts of the body, and the under surface 

 of the Avings, are silvery-white ; the sides under the wings 

 reddish-brown, streaked with dusky. The upper parts are 

 greyish-black, tinged with brown. The anterior edge of the 

 wins:, all the feathers on the humerals, with a few of the 

 lower scapulars, and all the secondary quills, except part of 

 the first and three of the inner, are white. 



Length to end of tail 23 inches, to end of Avings 20i, 

 to end of toes 25i ; extent of Avings 34 ; bill along the ridge 

 2 JL^ along the edge of loAAer mandible 2f ; Aving from flexure 

 7_^ . tarsus 2^ ; hind toe -/^j its claAv -fj ; second toe 2-^, 

 its claw -^ ; third toe 2^, its claw 4yV ; fourth toe 2-4^, 

 its claw ^. 



Female. — The female, AA'hich is considerably smaller, 

 differs from the male in having the ruff and occipital tufts 

 shorter ; but in other respects is similar. 



Length to end of tail 19 inches ; extent of Avings 32 ; 

 bill along the ridge 1-/V, along the edge of lower mandible 

 2|- ; Aving from flexure "i^ ; tarsus 2^. 



Variations. — In both sexes great differences are observed 

 as to size, but the colours undergo little change. 



Habits. — Few birds are more peculiarly aquatic than the 

 Grebes, and of them none is more so than the present spe- 

 cies, which swims and dives Avith surprising dexterity, prefers 

 plunging into the water to using its Avings when in any Avay 

 alarmed, and seldom betakes itself to land, Avhere it is unable 

 to walk. In Avinter it occurs along our sea-coasts, and espe- 

 cially in estuaries, but seldom in large numbers, and scarcely 

 ever associating Avith other birds ; none in fact, unless per- 



