300 TPIE BIRDS OF SUSSEX. 



SCLAVONIAN GREBE. 



Podiceps auritus. 



This bird is found on the sea, all along the coast, in spring 

 and autumn, and, in severe weather, in the estuaries, and the 

 ditches in the marsh-lands. It is particularly fond of shallow 

 water, and chiefly frequents those parts of the coast where 

 there is an abundance of mussels, among which it seeks for 

 small fish, Crustacea, &c. It is a tame bird when undisturbed, 

 but when much molested it is diflScult to get a shot at. It 

 has not been found breeding in Britain, but during the nest- 

 ing-season frequents many parts of the north of Europe. 

 The late Mr. Proctor, of the Durham University Museum, 

 found it breeding on fresh water in Iceland, forming a large 

 nest among the reeds. He states also that «on shooting 

 one of these birds he saw two young ones which had been 

 concealed beneath its wings. I have a note of an immature 

 specimen which was shot on a pond near Woodman- 

 cote, on February 5th, 1839. In February 1845, I found 

 one in a brook at Lancing, which on my first approach 

 dived and remained submerged for a long time, but on 

 coming up to the surface it took wing, and I obtained it ; it 

 was in full winter plumage. In the 'Zoologist' (p. 9540), 

 it is recorded by Mr. J. H. Gurney, that a Sclavonian 

 Grebe was found alive, apparently asleep, in a walled garden 

 by a labourer at Worthing, who caught it and took it to 

 Mr. Wells, naturalist, March 7, 1865 ; and at p. 9582 [pp. 

 cit.) Mr. Jefi'ery mentions one shot in Pagham Harbour 

 in February, and in p. n. mentions one killed at the head 

 of Chichester Harbour, on January 31st 1866. It is stated 

 in Yarrell (B. B. vol. iv. p. 135), that Mr. Benzon found the 

 nests in Denmark, and that they were not among rushes, 

 but were on tussocks on the edges of the lakes. 



