3IO THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



small bare vermilion triangle. The rose bill is crossed by a 

 dark band, the legs and irides are cinereous grey. 



The adult bird is greyish black on the top of the head and 

 back of the neck, the upper parts elsewhere are greyish brown, 

 and the under silky white. In summer the tippet is rich chest- 

 nut, shading to deep brown. The bill is yellowish, the legs are 

 olive-green, and the irides crimson. The frill is lost in August, 

 and begins to show again in December. Immature birds are 

 ashy brown with longitudinal stripes on the neck ; their irides 

 are vellow. In the first autumn they show small ear-tufts even 

 when the neck stripes are still retained. Full plumage is 

 attained in the second winter. Length, 21 ins. Wing, 7-5 ins. 

 Tarsus, 2*5 ins. 



Red-necked Grebe. Podiccps griseigam (Bodd.). 



The Red-necked Grebe (Plate 135), a regular but not 

 numerous winter visitor, breeds in many parts of Europe and 

 Asia, and ranges to north Africa in winter. It is not known 

 to have nested in Britaia, though it does so in southern 

 Scandinavia, and is a less frequent visitor to inland waters than 

 its congeners ; it is, during winter, a salt-water grebe. A few 

 reach us in August, but it is, on the whole, a cold-weather 

 visitor. Most return in March or April, when some are in full 

 nuptial dress. 



In summer dress the distinctive characters are the warm 

 chestnut neck, and the grey cheeks, bordered above by white, 

 just below the eye. The bird is a little smaller than the Great 

 Crested, and considerably larger than the Slavonian, the next 

 in size. In winter, when it looks very black and white, the 

 lower part of the face is still a good character, the white in 

 strong contrast to the dark cap. If within range of glasses it 

 can be distinctly seen that the cap extends to the eye, whereas 

 in the Great Crested there is a white stripe above the eye. It 

 is a stockier, less slender bird than the last, and its stout, short 



