)C 



270 HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS 



burb, in June 1849; but in Ireland, as in England, 

 the majority of Eared Grebes met with are seen 

 in the winter months — that is, between October 

 and March. Mr. R. Warren has only once met 

 with this species in Mayo, where he shot one in 

 Killala Bay in February. Mr. Ussher received one 

 from Dungarvan Bay in February 1890, which is 

 now in the Dublin Museum, and mentions a few 

 others in his recently published " Birds of Ireland." 

 The average weight is 12 oz. 



LITTLE GREBE or DABCHICK. Podicipes minor 

 (Gmelin). PI. 31, figs. 10, 11, 12, 12a. Length, 

 9"5 in. ; bill, 0*75 in. ; wing, 3"75 in. ; tarsus, 1-3 in. 



Resident throughout the year, and generally 

 distributed : migratory in spring and autumn. It 

 is a regular summer visitor to the London parks, 

 where I have several times seen the nests, and 

 watched the old birds covering the eggs before 

 leaving them. Two broods are sometimes reared. 

 The young for some time are carried on the back 

 of the parent, until able to shift for themselves. 

 The seasonal changes of plumage are indicated 

 on Plate 31. The weight of an adult is from 8 

 to 10 oz. 



Fam. ALCID^. 



PUFFIN. Fratercula arctica (Linnseus). PI. 26, figs. 

 11, 12. Length, 12 in.; bill, 175 in.; wing, 6 in.; 

 tarsus, 1 in. 



The origin of the name " Puflin " is thus ex- 

 plained by Dr. Cains in his Libellus de rariorum 



