KED-NECKED GREBE 519 



AVERAGE MEASUREMENTS. 



TOTAL LENGTH ... 21 in. Female smaller. 



WING 7-5 



BEAK :. T75 



TAUSO-METATARSUS ... 2'5 ,, 



EGG 2-2 x 1-5 in. 



RED-NECKED GREBE. Podicipes griseigena (Boddaert). 



Coloured Figures. Gould, ' Birds of Great Britain,' vol. v, pi. 

 39 ; Dresser, ' Birds of Europe,' vol. viii, pi". 630 ; Lilford, 

 ' Coloured Figures,' vol. vi, pi. 49 ; Booth, * Eough Notes,' 

 vol. iii, pis. 21, 22. 



The Red-necked Grebe occurs as a winter-visitor along 

 our coasts, and instances from inland localities are quite 

 exceptional. The eastern sea-board of Great Britain is 

 chiefly frequented, on the south coast of England the bird 

 is of irregular occurrence, while in the west and north it is 

 seldom met with, though the Orkneys and Shetlands 1 have 

 yielded several specimens. It would appear that it has not 

 been recorded from the Hebrides. Instances of its occur- 

 rence in nuptial plumage are very rare. 2 Occasionally this 

 Grebe appears in considerable numbers ; thus in Norfolk in 

 1865, and 1897, in Yorkshire in 1891, 3 and on the coast of 

 East Lothian, in the early part of 1895, considerable influxes 

 took place (Saunders). 



A young specimen with dark facial stripes was shot on 

 Blakenny Bar in Norfolk, as recorded by Mr. J. H. Gurney 

 in the 'Zoologist/ 1901, p. 134. Two others, not fully 

 grown, were obtained in the same county on previous 

 occasions, yet there are no grounds for believing that any of 



1 Mr. Saxby records a specimen recently taken at Balta Sound, viz. 

 on December 30th, 1901 (' Zoologist,' 1902, p. 113). 



2 An adult male was picked up on Farthing Down in Surrey, in 1890 

 in full breeding-plumage (J. A. Bucknill, ' Zoologist,' 1901, p. 254) ; 

 while specimens have been obtained off the Sussex coast, showing the 

 beginning of red feathers (Harting). 



3 Twenty-eight specimens were taken off Scarboroug in January 

 1891 (' Zoologist,' 1891, p. 193). 



