2o8 ALLEN'S NATURALIST'S LIBRARY. 



hinder part of the latter, as well as the sides of the hinder 

 crown and entire sides of the neck, deep chestnut, extending 

 across the lower throat ; the chin and upper throat black, with 

 an indication of a narrow blackish line of feathers down the 

 chestnut portion of the throat ; fore-neck, breast, and sides of 

 body black ; the centre of the breast and abdomen blackish, 

 but overlaid with a silvery white gloss ; the lower flanks and a 

 patch on each side of the rump, cinnamon rufous, many of the 

 feathers tipped and black ; axillaries and under wing-coverts, 

 white ; quills below ashy, whitish at the base ; bill black, with 

 the tip yellowish, and the gape conspicuously greenish-yellow ; 

 bare spaces between the eye and the base of the bill blackish ; 

 legs and feet olive-green, paler on the webs ; iris hazel. Total 

 length, 8*5 inches ; culmen, ro ; wing, 4*0 ; tail, 1*2 ; tarsus, 1*3. 



Adult Female in Breeding Plumage. Resembles the male. Total 

 length, 8-0 inches; wing, 3-9. 



Winter Plumage. General colour above brown, the wings a 

 little darker and more blackish, with the inner webs of the 

 secondaries entirely white ; crown of head and neck dark brown ; 

 lores and ear-coverts light brown, with a whity-brown streak 

 above the latter ; sides of neck and the lower throat reddish- 

 brown ; cheeks and throat white ; remainder of under surface 

 of body silky white ; the sides of the body rufous-brown, with 

 dusky centres to the feathers. 



Nestling. General colour brown, with longitudual black and 

 rufous streaks down the back, the head less distinctly striped ; 

 under surface of body dingy white, with black and rufous 

 streaks on the throat and sides of neck. 



Young in first Winter. Similar to the winter plumage of the 

 adult, but generally with dusky streaks on the sides of the face. 



Range in Great Britain. The Little Grebe is found every- 

 where in localities suited to its habits, though it is rarer towards 

 Scotland and the North generally. In Ireland, Mr. Ussher 

 says, it is reported from every county, and it breeds commonly 

 throughout the country, in suitable localities, on lakes, ponds, 

 and rivers. 



Range outside the British Islands. The present species is an 

 inhabitant of temperate Europe and Asia, and Japan. It does 



