136 PODICIPEDIU^. 



The note of this species is a soft whistling bib bib, and 

 during the breeding season like bide ivide icide wide wide 

 uttered quickly. In the stomachs of some examples re- 

 corded by Thompson, were quantities of feathers from dif- 

 ferent parts of their bodies, large specimens of the doubly- 

 spotted goby, a number of common shrimps {Crangon 

 vulgaris), and of opossum shrimps (Mysis), and remains of 

 coleopterous insects. The bird usually seeks safety by 

 diving, but it has been known to rise and fly readily. Mr, 

 Gatcombe informs the Editor that he has observed both the 

 Eared and Sclavonian Grebes to dive with a leap when in 

 deep water, as a Shag does ; apparently to give an impetus 

 to aid their small and comparatively light bodies in reaching 

 the bottom, or to make head against a current. 



The adult male in summer has the beak black ; the irides 

 red, with a white circle ; head and neck, all round, nearly 

 black ; chin speckled with grey ; from behind the eye over 

 the ear-coverts a triangular patch of long hair-like golden 

 and reddish-chestnut feathers ; back, and all the upper sur- 

 face of the body, dark brown ; secondary wing-feathers mostly 

 white ; breast, and under surface of the body, shining silvery- 

 white ; sides under the wings, and the flanks, chestnut 

 mixed with dusky lines ; legs and feet greenish-grey above, 

 darker behind. The whole length is twelve inches. From 

 the carpal joint to the end of the wing five inches. 



Females and young birds in winter so nearly resemble 

 those of the so-called Dusky Grebe, figured and described 

 in the account given of the last species, except in size, and 

 in the form of the beak, as to make another description 

 unnecessary. 



