EAKED GKEBE 527 



the nests almost touched one another (Saunders). The eggs, 

 three to five in number, characteristic in colour and shape, 

 become stained as incubation proceeds, especially when laid 

 in floating nests which are constantly in a state of moisture. 

 The Eared Grebe may have bred in Norfolk, as a couple of 

 downy nestlings have been obtained with an adult in full 

 breeding-plumage (Booth, 'Bough Notes.') 



In the ' Zoologist,' 1904, pp. 417-420, Mr. 0. V. Aplin 

 contributes an interesting article relating to the breeding 

 of this species in the British Isles. He states that he has 

 received satisfactory evidence that several pairs reared their 

 young in Britain during the summer of 1904. On June 3rd, 

 two pairs with their young were seen, and a few days later 

 five pairs with young were seen. The discoverers, whom 

 Mr. Aplin vouches are well known to ornithologists, prefer 

 to remain anonymous, nor do they wish to divulge the name 

 of the locality in which the birds were found with their off- 

 spring. The nature of the site is described as " a shallow 

 lake about three-quarters of a mile in length. The sur- 

 rounding ground is very marshy, and perhaps half the area 

 of the lake itself is covered by beds of club-rush, bogbean, 

 pond weed, and persicaria." The habits of the parent-birds 

 and the young were carefully noted. In the * Zoologist,' 

 1906, p. 315, Mr. Aplin, in a note, states that he visited the 

 above breeding-haunts and observed through strong glasses, 

 four or five adult Eared Grebes in full breeding-plumage. 



It is not improbable that this species may have nested in 

 several of the southern and eastern counties of England, 

 where specimens from time to time have been obtained in 

 full nuptial-dress. It is noteworthy, as pointed out by Mr. 

 Aplin, that "parts of the British Islands lie within the 

 geographical breeding range of this species." 



Geographical distribution. Abroad, in Southern Europe, 

 North Africa, and Temperate Asia, eastward to the Pacific, 

 the Eared Grebe nests freely ; in Central Europe more 

 sparingly. Its breeding-range reaches to about 55 N. lat. 

 in some countries, notably Denmark and Prussia. Its 

 winter-range extends to the shores of Central Africa, Arabia, 

 and India, i.e., about lat. 22 N. 



DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 



PLUMAGE. Adult male i(p&aZ. .-Head, neck, and throat, 

 black with a faint greyish gloss ; a triangular patch of 



