408 COLYMBID^E. 



the bird, and the base of the bill is mostly yellow ; this 

 species is also considered to be more decidedly marine 

 in its habits. Like the other Grebes it is an expert diver, 

 and very difficult to obtain when at sea, or in other exten- 

 sive waters where there is ample space to exercise its 

 powers. It feeds on small fish and aquatic insects. The 

 stomach of one examined by Montagu was found to be 

 distended with its own feathers and small seeds. I am 

 not aware of any record of the Red-necked Grebe breed- 

 ing in this country. The nest is described as placed among 

 aquatic herbage and reeds, being built of similar decayed 

 materials ; an egg, which I obtained from Hamburgh, is of 

 a dull white colour tinged with green; two inches in length 

 by one inch and four lines in breadth. 



Mr. W. Thompson mentions that the Red-necked Grebe 

 has been taken at Belfast, and in different parts of Ireland. 

 It has been obtained in Cornwall, Devonshire and Dorset- 

 shire. It has been killed more than once in East Kent ; 

 and Mr. Joseph Clarke sent me notice of one killed re- 

 cently in Essex, near Saffron Walden, which is now pre- 

 served in the Museum there. Both old and young have 

 been killed in the Fens of Cambridgeshire, and on the 

 broads of Norfolk, but only in winter. Mr. Selby says it 

 is not uncommon in winter on the coasts of Northumber- 

 land and Durham ; and Mr. Macgillivray mentions having 

 obtained it in the Frith of Forth. 



M. Temminck states that this species is nowhere more 

 abundant than in Holstein. It breeds on the lakes of 

 Sweden ; and I have been favoured by Mr. Dann with 

 the following notes from his own observations of its habits 

 still farther north in that direction. " The Red-necked 

 Grebe is common during the breeding season on many of 

 the shallow reedy lakes at the head of the Bothnian Gulf, 

 particularly between Pitea and Lulea. They seem to be 



