PODICIPID^. 417 



Museum -sve have seen a fine pair labelled " Torquay," which were pre- 

 sented by Mr, Coningham. On the North Devon rivers we have our- 

 selves seen this Grebe in the winter, and have known several to have 

 been procured in immature plumage, while in October 1S91 one in 

 perfect adult dress was shot near Barnstaple. We know of no instance 

 of the Great Crested Grebe having been detected nesting in the county, 

 although the South Devon Leys, if they were less disturbed, would seem 

 to olfer very tempting situations for them to breed in. Although it 

 always resorts to freshwater ponds at the breeding-season, this Grebe is 

 not averse to the salt water, where we have ourselves frequeutly seen it, 

 and it has been met with at some distance from the shore. It is one of 

 the species of Grebe which plucks and swallows its own feathers, even the 

 nestlings indulging in this curious habit, which Mr. Meves considered Avas 

 for the purpose of protecting the stomach from being injured by the large 

 fish-bones which are often swallowed by the birds. 



At Plymouth a Great Crested Grebe occurred March 5th, 1853 ; another January 7th, 

 1854, and another December 8th, 1855 (B., MS. Notes) ; several more in February 

 187U; one on January 3i-d, 1875, "the first seen for a long time there"; another 

 December 1879, and another January 1881 (J. G., Zool. 187U, p. 2100 ; 1875, p. 4372; 

 1880, p. 48; 1881, p. 195). 



Wany immature specimens have been shot on the Kingsbridge estuary in winter 

 (R. P. N., MS. Notes). Two in full dress, having the tippet fully developed, have 

 occurred near Kingsbridge (H. N., MS. Notes) ; and we ourselves saw an example of 

 this Grebe at Slapton Ley in January 1856. A female was obtained near the mouth 

 of the Avon, December 24th, 1875 (R. P. N., Zool. 1876, p. 4804). 



In Torbav the Great Crested Grebe was noticed in small parties in March and April 

 1859 (11. S.' Zool. 1860, p. 6794) ; others in the winter of 18()4-5 (C. S.) ; and a few 

 are seen in Torbay usually every winter (Von H., Zool. 1874, ]). 3907). 



On the Exe estuary the Great Crested Grebe has occurred as follows : — An old 

 bird and a young one in May 1829 (E. M., Trans. Plym. Inst. 1830, p. 333) ; a female 

 January 15'th, 1838 (F. VV. L. R). One in November 1848 (R. C); an adult male in 

 full breeding-plumage, February 1855 (F. W. L. R.) ; an immature bird January 15th, 

 1877 (VV. S. M. D'U., Zool. 1877, p. 105); and another immature specimen, October 

 1881. 



Along the whole of the S.W. coast from the Land's End to Poole 

 Harbour the Great Crested Grebe is not uncommon in the winter, flocks 

 of twenty or more having been seen off Poole in November 1882. To 

 the county of Somerset it is a rare visitor, one occasionally being obtained 

 on ornamental waters iidand, and an immature specimen was seen by 

 us at Weston-super-Mare. 



The Great Crested Grebe is met with commonly throughout Central 

 and Southern Euro])e, in Africa and A.sia, being numerous in Northern 

 India, and is stated to occur as far to the East as Japan. 



Red-necked Grebe. Podlceiys griseigena (Bodd.). 



A casual visitor, of occasional occurrence, in late autumn and winter 

 in our bays and estuaries. Immature birds were especially numerous in 

 the early mouths of 1850, 1870, and 1881. Some adults have been 



2e 



