204 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 



that Kriiper returned to the shore for his butterfly-net, and 

 when the performance was repeated, caught the bird in it. 



Nest. Described by Proctor as large, floating on the surface 

 of the water, with which it rises and falls ; it is composed of a 

 mass of reeds and other aquatic plants. Dr. Kriiper states that 

 he has occasionally found the nest on a tussock of grass in the 

 water, and once on a stone. 



Eggs. From two to four in number, and sometimes, accord- 

 ing to Seebohm, five. They are not to be distinguished from 

 those of the Black-necked Grebe, and are of a greenish-white 

 colour with the usual chalky covering. Axis, i '65-1 '95 inch; 

 diam., 1-2-1*35. 



THE EARED GREBES. GENUS PROCTOPUS, 

 Proctopus, Kaup. Natiirl. Syst. p. 49 (1829). 



Type, P. nigricollis (C. L. Brehm). 



The shape of the bill, which is upturned at the end, instead 

 of being straight as in Dytes, distinguished the genus Proctopus 

 from the last-named genus. The bill is, moreover, depressed 

 at the base, being wider than it is deep ; whereas in Dytes the 

 contrary is the case, and the bill is deeper than it is wide at the 

 base. The ornamental tufts on the head also are hairy in 

 appearance rather than plumose, and spring from the region of 

 the ear-coverts. 



I. THE BLACK-NECKED GREBE. PROCTOPUS NIGRICOLLIS. 



Podiceps nigricollis, C. L. Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. p. 693 (1831) ; 



Dresser, B. Eur. viii. p. 651, pi. 632 (1878); B. O. U. 



List Brit. B. p. 204 (1883); Saunders, ed. Yarrell's Brit. 



B. iv. p. 133 (1884) ; Seebohm, Hist. Brit. B. iii. p. 465 



(1885) ; Lilford, Col. Fig. Brit. B. part xxv. (1893). 

 Podiceps auritus, Gm. (nee Linn.); Macgill. Brit. B. v. p. 270 



(i8 5 2). 

 Podicipes nigricollis^ Saunders, Man. Brit. B. p. 707 (1889). 



Adult Male in Breeding Plumage. General colour above black, 

 with a slaty gloss ; wing-coverts like the back ; quills sooty- 

 black, with darker ends to the primaries, the inner primaries 



