PODICIPEDID^:. 



701 



THE GREAT CRESTED GREBE. 

 PoDiciPES CRisTATUS (LinncXus). 



The Great Crested Grebe is more or less resident in England and 

 Wales on extensive sheets of water partially overgrown with reeds ; 

 such as the ' broads ' of Norfolk, the meres of Yorkshire, Shrop- 

 shire, Cheshire and Lancashire, the lakes of Breconshire, and 

 similar localities. Northward, Mr. R. H. Read has recently found 

 it breeding in the vicinity of the Clyde, but otherwise it is rare in 

 Scotland, and has not been met with in the Outer Hebrides, though 

 said to have wandered to the Shetlands. In Ireland it nests on 

 several fresh-water lakes, especially in the district round Lough 

 Neagh ; and on many parts of the British coasts it may be met with 

 in winter, when driven by frost from inland waters. In Norfolk it is 

 generally called a ' Loon,' in Lincolnshire it was formerly known as 

 a ' Gaunt,' and in the north-east of Ireland its name is ' Mulrooken.' 



This large species is only a straggler to the Freroes, and an 

 accidental visitor to Norway ; but it breeds in Southern Sweden, 

 Denmark, and on both sides of the P>altic— becoming exceedingly 

 abundant in some parts of Russia, Poland and Germany. South- 

 ward, it nests in suitable localities down to the Mediterranean, as 

 well as in North Africa, Palestine, Northern India, Central Asia, 

 China and Japan ; while it is also plentiful and resident in South 

 Africa, some parts of Australia, and in New Zealand. It has not, 

 however, been found in North America, where all the birds recorded 

 as P. cristafiis have hitherto pro\-ed to be examples of P. (:;riscigcna 

 or some other species. 



