416 COLYMBID^E. 



I fortunately killed ; it was on my last visit, about the 

 latter end of May, and was in the most perfect plumage ; 

 indeed, I never saw so fine a specimen. This Grebe differs 

 from any other in having the irides of two colours. It is 

 a very shy bird, and a most expert diver, frequenting the 

 sea, but always remaining close to the rocks, where the 

 sea-weed which is attached to the land floats on the surface 

 of the water. When once alarmed it dives to a great dis- 

 tance, and on coming to the surface immediately takes 

 wing. The young of this bird, known by the name of the 

 Dusky Grebe, is very rare in both countries. I have seen 

 very few, and these only in spring, on the lakes near to, or 

 communicating with, the sea. Two or three pairs used to 

 frequent the Loch of Stenness. in the neighbourhood of 

 Stromness." 



Mr. Proctor, sub curator of the Durham University Mu- 

 seum, visited Iceland in the summer of 1837, and observed 

 that " this bird frequents the fresh waters there, and 

 breeds amidst the reeds and other rank herbage. The 

 nest is large, and floats on the surface of the water, with 

 which it rises, and falls. It is composed of a mass of 

 reeds and other aquatic plants. The eggs vary in number 

 from two to four, and are, when just laid, of a bluish-white ; 

 but they soon become stained by the materials of which the 

 nest is composed. The size of the egg is one inch and 

 three-quarters long, by one inch and one quarter in breadth. 

 The young birds, when first hatched, are covered with 

 grey- coloured down. No sooner does the old bird per- 

 ceive danger from any intruder, than she instantly dives, 

 and emerges at thirty or forty yards' distance. One day 

 during my sojourn in Iceland, having observed one of these 

 birds dive from its nest, I placed myself with my gun at 

 my shoulder, waiting its re-appearance. As soon as it 

 emerged I fired and killed it, and was surprised to see 



