THE GREBE. IOI 



feet, but it is not a quarter of the size of that bird. 

 It is 8 inches long, and the expanse of the wings is 14 

 inches. The plumage of the head, nape, cheek, and 

 sides of the neck, is ash ; the back, black ; a white 

 bar is across the wing ; the front and sides of the neck, 

 reddish-brown. This is the breeding plumage of the 

 males. In winter, the black is brown, and the brown 

 buff. It is common in winter. 



The Grey Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) is an ex- 

 clusively winter visitor, and a very rare one. 



The divers, Colymbidcz, and the grebes, Podicipce, 

 from their peculiar construction, are the best swim- 

 mers and divers amongst birds. The pointed beak, 

 the whole body tapering towards the head and tail, 

 the powerful muscular development of the legs and 

 feet, which in the grebes resemble a paddle of three 

 blades, enable them to pass through the water at an 

 amazingly rapid rate ; often have we watched them 

 as they appeared on the surface of the water to 

 breathe, and then suddenly dive and re-appear on 

 the water at such a distance that we were astonished 

 at the rapid progress they had made; they use 

 their wings as paddles. 



The Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps rubicollis) and the 

 Horned-Grebe (P. cornutus) are accidental visitors to 

 Britain, and being similar in habits to our resident 

 species, will not be here mentioned in detail. 



The Eared Grebe, according to the " British Mis- 

 cellany," page 1 8, remained to breed, in June 1805, 

 on Chelsey Common. 



The Crested Grebe (P. cristalus) breeds on fresh- 

 water pools and lakes of our country ; it is most 



