BLACK-CHINNED GREBE. 21] 



motions of the otter, where every turn seems given 

 with perfect ease, at the same time with great ac- 

 tivity and quickness. Mr. Selby mentions some- 

 times taking the Little Grebe in pools left by the 

 tide, where no endeavour was made to escape 

 by flight, and where it tried to conceal itself under 

 the fronds of algae. Upon the continent of Eu- 

 rope we find its distribution somewhat similar to 

 what it is in Great Britain and Ireland, but its 

 extra-European range does not seem to be so well 

 determined. There seems to be one or two small 

 Asiatic species closely allied, that are different, and 

 may have been confounded with it in the notices of 

 it from that continent ; at the same time we have it 

 noted in the catalogues of Indian birds by persons 

 on whom dependence can be placed. In our own 

 collection we have specimens which appear in every 

 way identical, both in summer and winter plumage, 

 from the Cape of Good Hope and South Africa. 

 It does not extend to North America. 



A specimen shot in a loch in Sutherland in June, 

 when it might be considered as in full breeding 

 plumage, has the throat, the head above the eyes, 

 and back of the neck, dark brownish black, glossed 

 with green ; the cheeks, sides, and fore part of the 

 back, chestnut-red; the upper plumage with the 

 wings blackish brown, shading round the breast to 

 a paler tint, which is continued down the sides and 

 flanks, and gradually shades into a silvery grey, 

 covering the centre of the belly and vent ; seconda- 

 ries tipped with white, but only seen during flight 



