SCLAVONIAN GREBE. 249 



1845, which is in perfect breeding plumage ; the next in 

 order of time with which I am acquainted is recorded in 

 Mr. Stevenson's note-book as follows: "Of the few 

 examples taken in Norfolk in full summer garb, I am 

 fortunate enough to possess a magnificent pair [now 

 in Mr. J. J. Column's collection], which, together with 

 a young male in Mr. Gurney's collection, were killed 

 on Sutton Broad, on the 16th April, 1862. Having 

 the opportunity of examining them in the flesh, I 

 found them on dissection to be an old male and a 

 young male and female about the same age. The first, 

 a magnificent bird, with a rich crest of black and orange, 

 resembles exactly the bird figured by Yarrell. The 

 colours of the two younger birds are less vivid, and the 

 crests much smaller, with a few white feathers still 

 visible on the chin and throat, being apparently birds of 

 the previous season. In the old male, evidently in full 

 breeding vigour, the testes were large and pure white, 

 the same parts in the immature male being smaller and 

 dark in colour. The female contained a large cluster of 

 eggs, but none larger than good sized pins' heads. On 

 examining the contents of the stomachs I found them in 

 in each instance crammed with a compact green mass, 

 which on closer inspection proved to be nothing but 

 feathers mixed with and stained by the green con- 

 fervw from the surface of the water, the only atom 

 of real food discoverable being a small brown beetle 

 in the stomach of the female. With the exception of 

 the minute beetle, I found nothing whatever capable 

 of sustaining life, although the stomachs were in each 

 case greatly distended, the contents being closely matted 

 together and at least half-an-inch in diameter. The 

 stomach of the old male was extremely muscular, indeed, 

 a true gizzard, the inner surface rough like a file, and 

 the coats extremely thick. The same parts in. the 

 younger birds were also, though in a less degree, indica- 

 tive of strong digestive powers. It is not improbable 

 that these birds, if undisturbed, would have remained to 

 breed, as a fourth example was shot at at the same time, 

 but escaped by diving amongst the weeds." 



Mr. Stevenson mentions a Sclavonian grebe killed in 

 Norfolk in full summer plumage in 1864 as being in the 

 2 i 



