GREBE. NATATORES PODICEPS. 393 
nent. Like the others of its genus, it is a very expert diver, 
remaining long under water; and, when pursued, merely 
raises its bill above the surface for respiration.—It feeds up- 
on small fish, insects, &c.; and the stomach, upon dissection, 
is always found to contain a mass, greater or less, of its own 
feathers,—a peculiarity which has been observed in all the 
species, but whether swallowed accidentally in dressing the 
plumage, or purposely to aid the digestive process, has not 
yet been satisfactorily ascertained. I should rather favour 
the latter supposition, as the feathers which have been for 
some time in the stomach are much comminuted, and in a 
fit state for passing into the intestines; a fact also observed 
by Monracvu. This species is widely diffused, being abun- 
dant in the eastern parts of Europe, where it is found upon 
the lakes and larger rivers, but it becomes gradually rarer 
to the westward. It is also an inhabitant of the Arctic Re- 
gions of America, and was met with upon the Great Slave 
Lake durmg Franxtty’s Expedition in 1822.—Its nest is 
built amidst the aquatic herbage, or reeds, composed of simi- 
lar decayed materials, and rises and falls with the water. 
The eggs are stated by Temmrnck to be three or four, of a 
greenish-white, clouded with deep brown. 
Prate 72. Represents this bird of the natural size, from a 
specimen killed in 1826 at the Fern Islands, on the Nor- 
thumbrian coast. 
Bill one inch and a half in length from the forehead to the 
tip, black, with the base of the under mandible, and the 
lower part of the upper one, lemon-yellow. Crown of 
the head, and occipital tufts, deep glossy greyish-black. 
Cheeks, chin, and throat, grey, palest towards the junc- 
tion with the feathers of the head. Back part of the 
neck and upper plumage deep blackish-grey, with the 
edges of the feathers paler. Throat and breast orange- 
coloured brown, the latter being clouded with greyish- 
white. Belly and abdomen greyish-white, with a silky 
Food. 
Nest, &c. 
General 
descrip- 
tion. 
