PYGOPODES. 367 



373. PODICEPS CORNUTUS. 



(SCLAVONIAN GREBE.) 



Colymbus auritm, Linneus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 222 (1766, nee auctorum pluri- 



moruin). 

 Colymbus cornutws, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. i. p. 591 (1788). 



The Sclavonian Grebe is about the same size as the Black-necked 

 GrebCj with which it is often confounded in winter plumage. In 

 breeding-dress it may be recognized by its combination of the two 

 characters^ ear-coverts black and fore neck chestnut ; but in winter 

 plumage a more minute examination is necessary. At all seasons it 

 combines the two characters — length of wing from carpal joint vary- 

 ing between 5 '8 and 5'2 inches, and white on secondaries but on 

 none of the primaries. 



Figures : Gould, Birds of Great -Britain, v. pi. 40; Dresser, Birds 

 of Europe, viii. pi. 631. 



The first example of the Sclavonian Grebe recorded from Japan 

 was shot in Hakodadi harbour on the 26th of January, 1865 (Whitely, 

 Ibis, 1867, p. 209) . There are two examples in the Swinhoe collection 

 collected by Captain Blakiston near Hakodadi, one of them dated 

 October (Swinhoe, Ibis, 1875, p. 456) ; there are three examples in 

 winter plumage in the Pryer collection from Yokohama ; and Mr. 

 Ringer has procured it near Nagasaki (Blakiston and Pryer, Trans. 

 As. Soc. Japan, 1882, p. 92), It is probably only a winter visitor 

 to Japan. 



The Sclavonian Grebe is a circumpolar species, breeding for the 

 most part a little to the south of the Arctic Circle on both continents, 

 and wandering still further southwards in winter. It is a winter 

 visitor to the British Islands. 



374. PODICEPS MINOR. 

 (LITTLE GREBE.) 



Colymbm minor, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. i. p. 591 (1788). 



The Little Grebe well deserves its name, and the fact that the 

 length of its wing from the carpal joint is only 4 inches or less is 

 sufficient to distinguish it from all its Old World allies, except from 

 P. nestor in South Australia, and from P. rufipectus in New Zealand. 



