418 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



olitained on Slapton and other Leys and on Kingsbridge estuary. Young 

 birds have the neck striped, occasionally with some bright red on the 

 upper part of the breast. 



The lled-necked Grebe comes next in size to the Great Crested Grebe 

 among our iive British species, and is by far the rarest, especiall}- in the 

 S.W. counties. We know of only three examples from Xorth Devon — one 

 whicb was shot from the North Walk at Barnstaple in full summer 

 plumage many years ago, another near that town in February 1850 

 (Zool, 1851, p. 3035), and another in February 1870 in immature 

 plumage, which we have in our collection. More have been procured in 

 the south of the county. Mr. J. Gatcombe saw a specimen of this Grebe 

 in the market at Plymouth on 10th January, 1881, and at the time he 

 recorded it (Zool. 1881, p. 195) added the following note: — "^Vith 

 regard to the Red-necked species, I have often been puzzled with its 

 great variation in size ; so much so, indeed, that I have almost been 

 inclined to think there might be two species or at least races of it [he was 

 quite correct]. I have also met with specimens like that mentioned by 

 Mr. D'Urban in the ' Zoologist' a short time since, having stripes on the 

 cheek and neck ; but these markings are undoubtedly indicative of 

 immaturity, as in the young of the Great Crested Grebe ; yet the examples 

 I have seen so marked happened to be unusually large ones. The bills of 

 the Bed-necked species, too, I find vary considerably both in length and 

 thickness." The large-billed birds had probably wandered from America. 

 On February 17th, 1880, Mr. Gatcombe had seen two examples of the 

 Red-necked Grebe in Plymouth Market, and had examined them and 

 found in their stomachs small fish, portions of crabs, sand, and a great 

 quantity of feathers ; " but I am sorry to add," he writes, " that the 

 skins of these scarce birds were cut up for the purpose of decorating 

 ladies' hats " (Zool. 1880, p. 248). 



Latham, in the supplement to his 'Synopsis of Birds' (1787-1801), speaks of a 

 Red-necked Grebe having been shot at Teignmouth in Januiiry. Five specimens were 

 seen togetlier at Slapton Ley early in 1809, and four of them were shot (Montagu, 

 Orn. Diet., Suppl.). One killed in the month of June near Plvmouth was in 

 Mr. Drew's collection (E. N., Trans. Plyra. Inst. 1830) : and another was obtained 

 there October 18G1 ; another March 187U; two in the Market, February 1880; two 

 more January and February 18S1 (J. G., Zool. 1861, p. 7848; 1870, p. 2142; 1880, 

 p. 240 ; 1881, pp. 195, 198). 



Three immature birds were shot on Torbay, February 1870; another January IDtli, 

 1871 ; another October 1870 (Zool. 1870, pp. 209.S 2142 ; 1871, p. 2C.t!l ; 1876, 

 p. 5161). One at Teignmouth in January 1850, and another in changing plumage 

 February 22nd, 1870 (C. S., Zool. 1870, p. 2106). 



Messrs. Henry and R. P. Niciiolls have found this Grebe fairly common on the 

 Kingsbridge estuary ; and Mr. Elliot says he has had one or two well-marked birds 

 brought to him in tlie autumn ; one occurred near Kingsbridge in February 1888 

 (' Field ' for February 25th, 1888). 



An immature bird was procured at Topsham in 1850 (F. W. L. E.). Two were seen 

 by us, and one shot, in a flooded marsh above To]5sham in December 1852; and a 

 young male with striped neck fell to the gun of Mr. John D'Urban Tyrwhitt-Drake, on 

 the Exe estuary, off Starcross, January 8ih, 1881 (W. S. M. D'U., Zool. 1881, p. 58). 



The Eed-necked Grebe has never been known to breed in the British 



