743 



SCLAVONIAN GREBE. 

 Podicipes auritus (.) 



Winter visitant, not uncommon on the coast. Occasionally met 

 with on inland waters. 



Fothergill's Wensleydale list, in Whitaker's " Richmond- 

 shire " (1823), contains what is probably the first Yorkshire 

 mention of this Grebe, it being noted amongst the birds 

 of that district, under the name of " Dusky Grebe." 

 Thomas Allis, in 1844, tnus referred to it : 

 Podiceps cornutus. Sclavonian Grebe One shot at Barmby-on- 

 Dun several years ago, according to F. O. Morris. I had myself a 

 beautiful male specimen in summer plumage, but it is very rare in 

 this neighbourhood in that state ; not infrequently met with in winter 

 and immature plumage. 



Like its preceding congener, this bird is a winter visitant, 

 usually appearing in September or October, and remaining 

 until March, though instances are known when it has occurred 

 in August ; one, obtained on the 3rd of that month, in the 

 year 1876, is now in the Hull Museum. Although never very 

 numerous, it is the commonest of the Grebes except the Dab- 

 chick, and occurs annually on the coast, chiefly in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the river estuaries or amongst the half-tide rocks 

 in shallow water ; I have several times watched birds of this 

 species fishing close inshore near the Redcar " scars," and in 

 1901 procured one, in a channel at the Teesmouth, which had 

 been feeding on sprats, one fish hanging out of its bill when 

 the bird was brought ashore. Several were killed in the Tees 

 estuary in the winter of 1874-75, and also in 1896-97, when 

 it was more than usually abundant, and it was reported in 

 some numbers from Scarborough during the same season. 

 An adult female was shot off Flamborough on 29th October 

 1874, while Allis referred to an example in summer plumage 

 in his possession, but, as a rule, the bird is met with in the 

 dusky or winter dress. It takes its departure in March or 

 April, an unusually late lingerer being reported in May 1883, 

 when one was observed on a pond near Barnsley. 



VOL. II. 2 B 



