126 PODICIPEDID^. 



so far north as latitude 66°, is precisely similar to that of 

 the broads in Norfolk aud the meres of Holland, where some 

 of the Grebes are so numerous. These Grebes are by no 

 means shy, and when undisturbed amongst the reeds and 

 grass, keep up an incessant croaking. They do not, like 

 many of the divers, use their wings, under water, but glide 

 through it, however, with equal swiftness, and dart through 

 thick entangled masses of weeds and grass with the ease 

 and rapidity of a fish. From the very weedy nature of the 

 waters they invariably frequent, using their wings in diving 

 would impede their progress. I have had repeated oppor- 

 tunities of observing them when under water." 



The Red-necked Grebe nests in many parts of Russia and 

 Poland ; also, sparingly, in Bohemia ; and it occurs on 

 migration over the greater part of Europe, and in the Medi- 

 terranean. It is a rare visitant to Asia Minor, Egypt, and 

 north-eastern Africa ; but it would appear that some pairs 

 breed in Morocco. Across Northern Asia, in Japan, and 

 throughout North America, there occurs a form which was 

 first remarked in Greenland, and was distinguished by 

 Reinhardt by the name of Podiceps holbcelli. This form is 

 characterized by a uniformly greater size, a bill dispropor- 

 tionately larger, stouter, difi"erently shaped and coloured ; 

 and a tarsus longer, both absolutely and relatively to the 

 length of the toes. According to Severtzoff these two forms 

 meet in Turkestan. 



The nest is placed among aquatic herbage and reeds, 

 being built of similar decayed materials ; and the eggs are 

 of a dull white colour tinged with green, averaging 2 by 

 1'3 in. The call-note is a loud clear keck, keck, keck. It 

 feeds on small fish, crustaceans, aud aquatic insects. The 

 stomach of one examined by Montagu was found to be dis- 

 tended with its own feathers and small seeds. 



The adult bird has both mandibles of the beak black, except 

 at the base, where they are yellow : the irides red ; top of the 

 head, and back of the neck, rich dark brown, almost black ; 

 cheeks, chin, and throat fine bluish-grey, margined with 

 white, which forms a sub-ocular streak ; back, wing-coverts, 



