412 THE GREBES 



2. Distribution. This species, like the Slavonian, is only known with 

 certainty to breed at one locality in the British Isles, which has not been made 

 public. There is, however, tolerably conclusive evidence that it bred once at least 

 in Norfolk (E. T. Booth), possibly also in Perth and Oxford. On the Continent 

 there is no evidence of breeding in Scandinavia, but it nests sparingly in Denmark 

 (Thisted) and possibly in S. Finland ; is rare in the Baltic provinces, but breeds 

 commonly in the Moscow, Tula, Simbirsk, Kazan, Ufa, and Orenburg governments, 

 south to the Crimea and Transcaucasia. Over the rest of the Continent south to 

 the Mediterranean it is found locally, and also breeds in Africa not only in the north, 

 but also in Abyssinia and in S. Africa to Cape Colony. In Asia its distribution is 

 imperfectly known, but it nests in the Tomsk government to lat. 52, and is found 

 in the Kirghis steppes and Asia Minor, probably also in Cyprus, while it may pos- 

 sibly range east to Ussuria. In North America it is replaced by an allied race 

 which chiefly inhabits the western side of N. America, breeding in British Columbia, 

 Alberta, Manitoba, etc. On migration European birds range to the Mediterranean 

 region : casual in Azores and Madeira. Asiatic birds reach Arabia, Persia, India 

 (rarely), China, Japan, etc., and the American race visits Central America. [F. c. R. J.] 



3. Migration. This grebe has been described as "chiefly a southern bird 

 which at intervals pushes its migrations in spring and summer as far to the north- 

 west as the British Isles " (Saunders, III. Man. British Birds, 2nd ed., 1899, p. 723). 

 It occurs more rarely in autumn and winter, and it has also been recorded as 

 breeding regularly in one locality, and exceptionally, but perhaps doubtfully, in 

 some others (see above). The date of its arrival as a winter visitor has been given 

 as from 25th July to September or November (cf . Clarke, Studies in Bird Migration, 

 1912, vol. i. p. 162). The coast of Merioneth is regularly visited in February and 

 March, and the seaboards of Norfolk and Yorkshire are also specially favoured : 

 it very rarely occurs in the north-west of England or in any part of Scotland ; and 

 although there are records from the Inner Hebrides and the Orkneys, there are none 

 from the Outer Hebrides or the Shetland group (cf. Saunders, loc. cit. ; Witherby 

 and Ticehurst, British Birds, vol. ii. p. 421 ; Hartert, Jourdain, Ticehurst, and 

 Witherby, Hand-List of British Birds, 1912, p. 158 ; and Nelson, B. of Yorks., 1907, 

 p. 744). To Ireland it is a " rare and accidental " winter visitor, but there are also 

 two records for the month of June (cf. Ussher and Warren, B. of Ireland, 1900, 

 p. 380). [A. L. T.] 



4. Nest and Eggs. This species shows a great tendency to breed in 

 colonies, and is much more sociable in the breeding season than the other grebes. 



