]897.] F. Finn — Notes on various species of Grehes. 727 



and waddling along very clumsily. It frequently used its wings to 

 aid it when running, these being full-grown, though the head was still 

 covered with variegated down, already indicating the form of the orna- 

 mental plumage on this part. 



Some years ago, also in the London Zoological Gardens, I was able 

 to observe the specimen of the large American Grebe, Podiceps (Aechmo- 

 phorus) major, which the Society then possessed. This also seemed 

 able to advance only a few steps at a time, waddling along a little 

 way, and then flopping down on its breast, although it had been some 

 time in the gardens, and was presumably in good health and not 

 cramped or frightened ; the latter conditions obtaining to a certain extent 

 in the case of the Great Crested Grebe above alluded to, for this was 

 better on its legs the second time I saw it. 



Podiceps nigricollis. The Eared Grebe. 



Early in the present year on February 11th, I got a male individual 

 of this species from the Calcutta Bazaar, a sufficiently remarkable 

 locality for it. This bird was weakly, and I found it dead on the third 

 day after I obtained it, though it had fed freely on small prawns and 

 fish. It was gentle and did not peck. Though I had it for at least one 

 night in a cage, I found no " castings ; " yet, as in the case of the large 

 species, I twice saw it eat one of its own feathers. It walked freely, 

 several yards at a time, in an erect position, as stated by Dresser, who 

 correctly figures it and other Grebes in this attitude. It had the bill 

 lead-grey, dark on the ridge down to the nostrils, and whitish at the 

 base and on the under surface of the mandible. The iris was reddish 

 orange, with a yellowish-white inner ring, and the feet olive-leaden, 

 dark on the under surface of the toes and the outer side of the shank. 



The specimen (22115 in Bird Register) has been stuffed in the 

 standing attitude for the Bird gallery in the Museum. 



Podiceps fluviatilis. The European Dabchick. 



I once observed the gait of this bird on land, in the case of a 

 specimen confined in the aviary in the Fish-House at the London Zoo- 

 logical Gardens. It walked on its toes in the ordinary manner of birds, 

 with an awkwardness which reminded me at the time of a diving 

 duck, only in this case it was even more marked, as might be expected, 

 I have often observed this species in a wild state, and have once seen it 

 half run, half fly, over a narrow strip of grassy ground between two 

 ponds ; otherwise I never saw it ashore when wild. But to argue 

 from this that it cannot walk would be like denying the cat the power 

 of swimming because this beast is proverbially averse to water. 



