RED-NECKED <& SCLAVONIAN GREBES. 139 



blackish green. Length 21 in. Female similar, but slightly 

 smaller, and has less developed ruff and crest ; both these 

 ornaments are lost in winter. Young have little crest or chest- 

 nut colouring. Nestling in down : head, neck, and under parts 

 white ; marked on head and neck with blackish brown stripes ; 

 upper parts, wings, and flanks brown, striped with blackish 

 brown. 



Language. Call-note, a harsh kind of croak. Alarm-note, 

 " kek-kek." 



Habits. Essentially aquatic, and is rarely seen on the wing. 

 It flies just above the water with quickly-beating wings, and 

 soon takes to that element again, where it swims powerfully 

 and dives splendidly, literally flying under the water after its 

 finny prey. When alarmed it submerges its body, leaving only 

 the bill above the surface. On leaving its nest, it always covers 

 the eggs with wet weeds. 



Food. Fish, Crustacea, and frogs. 



Nest. May or June. One brood. 



Site. In a bed of rushes or reeds. It is a floating nest, 

 moored to some convenient reeds, and the rim only just projects 

 above the surface of the water. 



Materials. Pieces of decaying rushes, or reeds, or other 

 aquatic herbage heaped together. 



Eggs. Three or four. Pure chalky white when fresh, but 

 they are speedily stained and muddied to a dirty brown. In 

 shape nearly perfectly oval. 



RED-NECKED GREBE (Podicipes griseigena). 



A rare winter visitor to our coasts, sometimes appearing in 

 considerable numbers. It has a small, almost black crest, lost 

 in winter ; the cheeks and throat are greyish white, and the 

 upper parts dark brown, with conspicuous white patch on the 

 secondaries. Front of neck chestnut-red ; under parts silky 

 white. Length 18 in. In general habits, language, and food it 

 resembles the last. It breeds in sub-Arctic regions. 



SCLAVONIAN GREBE (Podicipes auritus). 



A not uncommon winter visitor from northern parts, chiefly 

 to Scotland, Ireland, and north and east coasts of England. 

 Some have been observed late in spring in breeding plumage, 

 when it is a handsome bird, with its pale chestnut crest and 

 brownish black ruff. In winter these are absent. Upper parts 

 dark brown ; secondaries mainly white. Neck, breast, and flanks 

 chestnut. Belly white. Length 13 in. In habits and food 

 it resembles the other Grebes. Breeds in sub-Arctic regions. 



