406 BIRDS OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND. 



and continuing its flight at all hours of the day. In this country, 

 like the rest of its family, it moves about on wing chiefly during 

 the night. 



In the first octavo edition of Pennant's ' British Zoology ' 

 (1768), I find the following note in his description of this bird in 

 its winter plumage: " This species is scarce in England, but com- 

 mon in the winter time in the lake of Geneva. They appear there 

 in flocks of ten or twelve, and are killed for the sake of their 

 beautiful skins. The under sides of them being dressed with the 

 feathers on, are made into muffets and tippets; each bird sells for 

 about fourteen shillings." Hence, no doubt, the name satin grebe 

 and tippet grebe applied to this bird. 



Selby states that the Crested Grebe breeds " on a few of the 

 northern Scottish lakes," but gives no locality, and subsequent 

 observers do not appear to have been able to confirm the statement. 

 It breeds in some numbers on Lough Neagh in Ireland, as recorded 

 by the late Mr Thompson in his birds of that country. Bearing 

 this fact in mind, it is somewhat singular that the species does not 

 occur more frequently in the Inner Hebrides or the western 

 mainland of Scotland. 



THE RED-NECKED GREBE. 

 PODICEPS RUBRICOLL1S. 



ALTHOUGH occasionally shot in the western counties in full summer 

 plumage, the Red-necked Grebe does not breed in any part of 

 Scotland; it leaves us in April, returning in autumn, and is 

 sparingly distributed in the winter season. So far as I can 

 judge, it is much more common in the eastern counties. In 

 East Lothian it is frequently obtained, and from that county 

 northward it cannot be called uncommon. Mr Angus states that 

 he shot a specimen in breeding dress on the 2d May, 1867, in 

 Aberdeenshire. 



I find from my note books that this species is oftener obtained 

 in our rivers at a distance from the sea than either the great- 

 crested or Sclavonian grebes. Mr George Brown of Glasgow, 

 showed me one in the flesh which he had shot in the river 

 Cart, near Paisley; and I have also examined specimens killed 

 on the Clyde: one, in beautiful summer plumage, having 



