190 COLYMBID.E. 



number of common shrimps {Crangon imlgaris), and of opossum 

 shrimps {3Ij/sis). On the 11th of November, 1847, two more 

 of these grebes were killed at the same shot to the west of Gar- 

 moyle, Belfast Bay, but unfortunately were not saved for preserva- 

 tion. All of the preceding birds were in winter plumage. 



On the 24<th of Tebruary, 1838, several specimens of the 

 eared grebe were sent to Mr. Glennon from the county of Wex- 

 ford."^ An immature one was obtained at Muskerry, county Cork, 

 in 1847.t Two birds, in full adult summer plumage, have come 

 under my notice. One of these was shot near Dublin, on the 

 15th of June, 1847, and is in Mr. Waiters' collection. The 

 contents of its stomach, having been preserved, were shown to 

 me, and consisted wholly of downy feathers, with the exception 

 of a quantity of the remains of coleopterous insects that glittered 

 among them; two large beetles were in its throat. The other 

 individual, in full summer plumage, was shot early in June 1849, 

 near Benburb, Armagh, and is in the possession of the Eev. 

 George Robinson, of Tartaraghan rectory in that county. 



The eared grebe would appear, from the preceding records of 

 its occurrence, to be about equally scarce in Ireland as in England 

 and Scotland. In both of these countries it is considered the 

 rarest species of the genus Fodlceps ;t but iu Ireland, the P. 

 rnhricollis is still more rare. 



THE LITTLE GREBE. 



Dabcliickj Blackchin Grebe (old). 



Podiceps minor, Gmel. (sp.) 

 Colymbus „ „ 



Is a resident species distributed over the island. 



It is mentioned in Smith's Histories of Cork and Waterford ; 

 in the former, as " common on the sea-coast," and in the latter, as 

 ^' sometimes killed in this county." M^Skimmin, in his ' History 



* Mr. T. W. Warreu. t I'l'- J- ^- Harvey. % Jardine, Yarrcll. 



