THE LESSER CRESTED GREBE 357 



black on the head, crown, and nape. This white 

 streak, which is so conspicuous in the summer 

 plumage, is absent in that of the winter ; the red 

 portion of the neck also turns to gray at the latter 

 season. In length it measures sixteen inches and 

 a half. 



The lesser crested, Slavonian, or horned grebe 

 is another of the grebe family, which is a visitor 

 from autumn to spring on the East coast of 

 England, and on both Eastern and Western coasts 

 of Scotland. It is said to breed on some of the 

 lochs in Ross-shire. It is a most peculiar-looking 

 bird, the head, from the bill to the nape, being 

 adorned with a large tuft of chestnut-coloured 

 feathers on either side, which, circling backwards, 

 form a kind of tippet of black, which meets under 

 the neck, extending to the base of the under part 

 of the bill ; the neck, breast, and flanks are also 

 of a chestnut colour ; the upper parts brown, the 

 under parts white ; the bill is black, with a whitish 

 tip. The crest is absent during winter, and, like 

 the red-necked grebe, the chestnut colour of the 

 neck turns nearly gray. It measures thirteen 

 inches in length. 



The eared or black-necked grebe is more fre- 

 quently found in the Southern and Eastern coun- 

 ties of Norfolk and Suffolk than in the Northern 

 part of Britain, and from autumn to spring. It 

 is a smallish bird, measuring but twelve inches 

 in length. The under parts are white ; the head 

 and neck black, with a patch of golden-red feathers 



