GREAT CRESTED GREBE. 121 



feathers which appeared to have been taken from the white 

 under surface of their own bodies ; and the same thing has 

 been noticed and recorded by others. This habit of swallow- 

 ing feathers appears to be peculiar to the Grebes, but from 

 fish bones being occasionally found mixed up with the feathers, 

 there is cause to suspect these birds bring up at will, from 

 the stomach, the more indigestible parts of their last meal, 

 as hawks, owls, shrikes and some other birds are known 

 to do. Some remarks upon this subject will be found in 

 Thompson's 'Birds of Ireland,' vol. iii. pp. 179—183. 



The Great Crested Grebe is only a straggler to the Faeroes, 

 and a rare visitor to Norway ; but it breeds in Southern 

 Sweden, Denmark, and on both sides of the Baltic ; be- 

 coming exceedingly abundant in some parts of Russia and 

 Poland. It frequents suitable localities throughout the rest 

 of Europe, breeding as far south as Spain ; also in North 

 Africa, Palestine, and Northern India. Its range extends 

 across Central Asia to China, aud Japan ; it is resident and 

 abundant in South Africa ; and a closely-allied, if dis- 

 tinguishable, form inhabits Australia, Tasmania, and New 

 Zealand. It has not, however, been found in North America, 

 where the birds recorded under the name of P. cristatus, 

 from the time of Audubon down to that of Coues and 

 Merriam, have hitherto proved to be examples of P. (jvisei- 

 f/ena, or some other species. 



The under surface of the body of this bird being of a 

 delicate silvery whiteness, and of a shining silky appearance, 

 one of the names of this well-known bird is that of Satin 

 Grebe ; and skins, from the beauty of their appearance, are 

 in great request for making mutfs for ladies, or as trimming. 

 On the Lake of Geneva, which is frequented in autumn 

 by these birds, it is usual for sportsmen to make parties on 

 the lake to obtain specimens by shooting. The bird is there 

 called Grebe de Leimui, and this sport, called la chassc dii. 

 Grebe, is referred to by M. Necker, in his paper on the 

 Birds of Geneva, and has been described to the Author 

 by an English gentleman who had pursued the amusement. 

 A party of four shooters hire a boat with able rowers, and 



VOL. IV. R 



