io6


While I had it confined I never saw it bring up “ castings,” nor

has this been the case with any of this species that I have kept ;

nor did I see any feathers swallowed by them, even in the case

of a moulting bird.


I ultimately turned this bird out on the tank of the

Museum compound, where, afier remaining tame for a day or

two, it speedily became wfild. It was inclined to associate with

a Coot, which did not appear to be anxious for its society ; but

towards the ducks I from time to time put on it exhibited what

looked very much like animosity, attacking them at first most

vigorously. I fancy, however, that this was merely juvenile

mischief, for it became more peaceable as it grew older.


When I placed the Great Crested Grebe above alluded to

on one occasion on the tank, its small relative hastily approached,

and diving below, could be easily seen through the clear w 7 ater

to come and peck the large bird’s toe, afterwards rising to the

surface out of reach.


It hunted insects and crustaceans when at large, as well

as fish, and appreciated a varied diet of these when in captivity.

It often came out on to a piece of brickwork, especially at first,

to plume itself, and I have even seen it resting there.


I never saw this or any other specimen use its wings when

diving; when performing this action it used both feet together,

while in swimming it moved by alternate strokes.


This bird had lost nearly all its quills towards the end of

January 1896, though they had only recently been fully developed.

By this time also the head appeared to be feathered. On the 2nd

February the quills were nearly grown again, as I find from my

notes then taken.


In the following month (March) I procured an adult, and

turned this also out on the tank, and the two soon became friendly.

I observed before turning out the new bird that, although

hungry and searching for food with its head under (a common

action) in the water in which I placed it, it nevertheless refused

to eat a sharp-toothed Goby ; it took, however, a spider and

some mole-crickets. At the eud of March I noticed that this

specimen also had moulted all its quills, so that this must be

the usual mode of moulting in this species of Grebe at all

events fcj.


( c ) I have observed a similar complete moult of the quills in the Common Coot

[Fulica atra ) the Waterhen (Gallinula chlaropus ) and in a species of Porphyrio. In the case

of the Coot the observation has been previously made by St. John (Natural History and

Sport in Morayshire), but I noticed it independently on the tank here. The Moorhen I

noticed inSt.James’Park in 1897, and th & Porphyrio in the Calcutta Zoological Gardens. — F.F.



