Birds. 7495 



Redbkeasted Merganser, Mergus Serrator. 



Situation. On the ground on the borders of lakes, or on lake- 

 islands in Scotland, especially Loch Awe : the nest is a few yards 

 above the highest water line, " frequently," says Mr. Selby, " beside a 

 large stone covered with brambles and coarse herbage, or under the 

 shelter of some thick bush." 



Materials. Dried grasses and rushes, and fibrous roots with abun- 

 dance of the bird's feathers and down, the last increased in quantity 

 as incubation advances. 



Eggs, 1 — II. White or cream-colour, tinged with brown. 



Goosander, Mergus Merganser. 



Situation. Mr. John Macgillivray says that the goosander breeds 

 in the outer Hebrides, on the borders of lakes, and sometimes on the 

 sea-coast : he mentions Loch Maddie, iu North Uist. Mr. Low also 

 says it breeds iu the Orkneys. 



Materials. " The nest is constructed of a mass of grass, roots and 

 other materials, mixed and lined with down." — Mr. Selby. 



Eggs, 12 — 15. Cream-coloured, equally blunt at both ends. 



Great Crested Grebe (or Loon), Podiceps crislatus. 



Situation. Floating on the water of fresh-water lakes or )3onds, 

 especially amongst reeds, in the eastern and northern counties of 

 England, particularly Norfolk, Lincolnshire and Cheshire. 



Materials. It collects an enormous quantity of flags, reeds, and 

 Mr. Selby says the stems of the water-lily. 



Eggs, 3, 4. White, tinged with green. 



Eared Grebe, Podiceps auritus. 



Situation. Floating on the surface of water in the fens of Lincoln- 

 shire. 



Materials. Flags and other aquatic plants. 



Eggs, 4, 5. Little or nothing is known of the breeding of this bird 

 in Britain. Col. Montagu mentions the foregoing facts. 



Little Grebe, Podiceps minor. 



Situation. Floating on the surface of the water of ponds. 



Materials. Decayed flags, reeds, Potaraogetons, &c., forming im- 

 mense masses. 



Eggs, 5, 6. At first white, by degrees becoming dingy and dirty, 

 as if stained by the decaying flags : the female, on leaving the nest, 

 covers the eggs with flags, &c., to conceal them. 



Redthroated Diver, Colymbus septentrionalis. 



Situation. Mr. Low says that it breeds in the Orkney Islands, in a 

 lake among the hills of the Isle of Hoy, and that the nest is so 



