392 BIRDS OF Tt'NISIA 



resembles the Great Crested Grebe. During the winter months and 

 on passage it is to be found chiefly on the sea-coast and on lagoons 

 adjoining the coast, where it lives, as a rule, in small parties, and is very 

 shy and difficult to approach. Like its congeners it swims and dives 

 remarkably well, but is awkward on laud. Its flight is perhaps lighter 

 and more rapid than tliat of P. cristatus, and it takes wing more 

 readily than that bird. Its food consists chiefly of small fish, aquatic 

 insects and the tender shoots of certain plants, and it is said to 

 swallow feathers like the preceding species. 



PODICIPES AURITUS (Linnixjus). 

 RCLAVONIAN GREBE. 



Colymbus auritus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 222 (17GG). 



Podiceps sclavus, Loche, Expl. Set. AUj. Ols. ii, p. 222 (1867) ; Koenig, 



J.f. 0. 1888, p. 297 ; id. J. f. 0. 1893', p. 105. 

 Podiclpes auritus, /);'ro;f, Ihis, 1887, p. 460; Ogilric-Gmnt, Cat. 7)/;v7.s- 



Brit. Miis. xxvi, p. 527. 



Description. — Adult male, summer {fide Dresser). 



Crown and forelioad hhick ; lores and a broad band of feathers passing 

 throuKb the eye, forming an elon^jatod tuft on each side of the head, ochreous- 

 chestnut ; chin and ruff brownish black ; upper-parts brownish-black, tinged 

 with grey ; short secondaries chiefly white ; neck in front rich chestnut-red ; 

 Hanks dull chestnut ; rest of underparts silvery-white ; bill dark horn, the 

 base and tip pink ; legs dull greyish-black ; a narrow ring encircling the 

 pupil of the eye white, the outer ring crimson. 



Culmen 1-1, wing 5-7, tarsus IB inch. 



Female similar but duller, with the ruff less developed. 



In winter the crown, hind-neck and upper-parts are deep sooty-brown, 

 some of the dorsal feathers edged with slaty-grey ; chin, sides of head, 

 throat and underparts silvery-grey, the flanks tinged with brownish-grey. 



Observation.<i. — This species is often confused with P. nigricoUis, but may 

 readily be distinguished from that bird by its straight bill and rather 

 larger size. 



This northern species apparently wanders occasionally to the 

 shores of North-west Africa, for an adult male example from Tunis, 

 obtained by Ralviii, is preserved in the British Museum collection. 



