246 Order XVI 



its congeners, while its harsh cries are supposed to 

 portend storms, and the northern Scot knows it as the 

 "Rain-goose." Less preference is shewn for islands 

 as a site for the nest, which in the case of this species 

 is often no nest at all, but merely a depression on the 

 grassy side of a lake or in a " flow " on the northern 

 moors; the eggs are comparatively small. The Red- 

 throated Diver is brownish above, without distinct spots 

 except in the young, and white below ; the head and 

 neck are pale grey, with white streaks on the former, 

 while a long patch of red decorates the fore-neck. In 

 winter this red is lost, and young birds, as in aU our 

 Divers, are entirely white below and brownish above, 

 with pale margins to the feathers. 



Family PODICIPEDID-^, or Grebes 



The Great Crested Grebe (Podicipes cristatus) is a 

 remarkable bird, brown above and glistening white 

 below, which has the top of the head and its pair of 

 backward tufts rich brown, while the pendant ruff is 

 of a fine chestnut colour with black edge. These 

 ornaments are lost at the autumn moult. The cheeks 

 and a bar on each wing are white. Some years 

 ago this species had become rare in Britain, except on 

 the Norfolk Broads, but now it has increased to a most 

 remarkable extent, and apart from the Highlands of 

 Scotland there are few large lakes, reservoirs, or even 

 smaller pieces of water with the requisite cover of 

 reeds or tall sedge where it does not breed or may not 

 be expected to do so in the near future. In winter it is 

 often found on the sea, generally in or near some con- 

 siderable estuary. The foreign range is extensive, as it 

 includes central and southern Europe and Asia, reaching 



