276 NATATORES. 



the crest and ear tufts, and have the sides of the head marked 

 with waving lines of dusky brown. 



Crested grebes are very industrious and successful fishers, 

 and destroy vast quantities of prey in those places which 

 they frequent. They also feed much, at the times when they 

 are on the shores, upon the fry of white fish ; and they also 

 eat great numbers of the smaller Crustacea shrimps, prawns, 

 and small crabs. Specimens are not easily procured, as the 

 rapidity with which they dive renders the shooting of them 

 difficult. 



THE HORNED GREBE (Podlceps COTUlltus). 



This species is less common than the former, though, like 

 that, it is seldom seen in proportion to its numbers. It is a 

 smaller bird, but better winged in proportion to its length. 

 The length is about fourteen inches, and the extent of the 

 wings more than two feet. Bill only about an inch long, but 

 very stout, reddish at the base, dusky in the other parts 

 except the tip, which is greenish grey. Irides with a double 

 circle, the inner crimson, the outer white ; naked part round 

 the eye white, naked space from the eye to the gape crimson 

 (in the breeding season). Crown of the head and crest, 

 which is divided and the lobes pointed and called horns, 

 black, ruff chestnut, passing into black, and both that and the 

 crest tinged with deep green. Upper part brownish black, 

 point of the neck and breast rust colour, sides and flanks the 

 same paler, belly white ; young without the crest and ruff, 

 colour on the upper part more inclining to brown, streak 

 from the bill to the eye dull white, bill without the reddish 

 tinge. The red on the lore or naked space between the gape 

 and eye, and that on the basal part of the bill, are the pecu- 

 liar tints of the breeding season. The double circle of the 

 iris is the invariable distinctive character of this species. 



