SCLAVONIAN GREBE. 413 



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 distance, 

 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 com- 

 municating with, the sea. Two or three pairs used to fre- 

 quent the Loch of Stenness, in the neighbourhood of Strom- 

 ness. 1 " 



Mr. Proctor, subcurator 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 perceiv* 

 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 



