454 BRITISH BIRDS. 



radically bad, and no true ornithologist should miss any opportunity of 

 violating them on every possible occasion, and heaping upon them the ridi- 

 cule, the abuse, and the contempt which they so richly deserve. The most 

 extraordinary fact connected with their retrogade step is that the very men 

 who have bound themselves by the fetters of this code, and made themselves 

 slaves to such ill-considered rules, are the pioneers of modern ornithological 

 science, who have only recently freed themselves from the bondage of the 

 Binomial System ! 



The genus Podiceps contains about sixteen species, which are distributed 

 throughout the temperate and subtropical portions of both hemispheres. 

 Five species are European, two of which breed in the British Islands, whilst 

 the other three only are winter visitors. 



The following key is sufficient to distinguish any species of British 

 Grebe of either sex in nuptial plumage : 



GREAT CHESTED GBEBE I 



> Ear-coverts chestnut, 

 f LITTLE GBEBE ) 



Fore neck chestnut < RED-NECKED GBEBE. 



^ SCLAVONIAN GBEBE .... I 



> Ear-coverts black. 

 BLACK -NECKED GBEBE . J 



In winter plumage they may be distinguished as follows : 



Lores and stripe over eye white . . GBEAT CBESTED GBEBE j 



> Wing 6'4 inch or more. 

 RED-NECKED GBEBE . . ) 



I SCLAVONIAN GBEBE. 

 Wing from 5'8 to 5-2 inch < I White extending on pri- 



( BLACK-NECKED GBEBE . I ma ries as well as secon- 

 daries; bill recm*ved. 

 Wing 4 inches or less . . LITTLE GBEBE. 



