358 THE GREBE. 



young birds, margined with white ; the side feathers are beauti- 

 fully crossed with black and white, and slightly tipped with red- 

 dish brown ; the inner side of the thighs, the belly, and the vent, 

 are pale brown, sometimes specked with blueish ash-colour; 

 under tail coverts white ; quills dusky ; the tail consists of twelve 

 short black feathers, edged and tipped with dusky red ; some of 

 those on the under side barred with black and white. The legs, 

 which are placed far behind, dusky red; the toes long, and with- 

 out any membrane to connect them. 



The water-rail is found in Lancashire, and the northern parts 

 of England, and is plentiful in the marshes of Sweden, Norway, 

 .Russia, and in the western part of Siberia, and throughout the 

 continent of Europe ; from whence, during the severity of 

 winter, it migrates southward, even into Africa. BufFon says, 

 they pass Malta in the spring and autumn ; and in confirmation 

 adds, that " the Viscount de Querheint saw a flight of them at 

 the distance of fifty leagues from the coasts of Portugal, on the 

 17th of April, some of which were so fatigued that they suffered 

 themselves to be caught by the hand." 



THE GREBE. 



To these birds, with long legs and finny toes, I will add one 

 species more, with short legs and finny toes ; I mean the grebe. 

 The entire resemblance of this bird's appetites and manners to 

 those of the web-footed class, might justly induce me to rank it 



