CHAPTER XXXIV 



GREBES AND DIVERS 



The grebes are a class of sea-bird that is regularly met 

 with by the wildfowler, both on sheltered waters and on 

 the open sea : and though in no sense game, form an 

 interesting study. All the five British species are met 

 with on the Borders ; four frequenting the coast alone, 

 while the fifth (the dabchick) confines itself to fresh 

 waters. 



Of the four marine species, the most abundant is the 

 Slavonian grebe ; the rarest is the eared kind. During 

 twenty years, to the date of the first edition, we had 

 obtained only one eared grebe (Podicifies nigricollis, L.), 



which was shot by my brother J , February 6th, 



1879, while running for shelter into Holy Island harbour. 

 Since then we have secured two others, one of which, 

 shot February 24th, 1892, had already at that early date 

 acquired the flame-coloured ear-tufts of summer, together 

 with distinct indications of the black throat and neck 

 and the rufous flanks of its breeding-dress. The irides 

 of all the grebes present an exquisite arrangement in 

 colours, having double orbits in concentric rings, the 

 outer being- paler and in mid-winter white. Those of an 

 eared grebe shot January 18th, were crimson, encircled 



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