635 



According to Gould (Handb. B. Austr. ii. p. 511) it "inhabits the inland waters of Tasmania 

 and the whole of the southern portions of the continent of Australia where localities are 

 favourable to its existence ;" and it is also found in New Zealand, where, Mr. Travers says (in 

 Buller's B. of N. Zeal. p. 355), it is " found, at all seasons of the year, upon Lake Guyon, a small 

 lake in the Nelson Province, lying close under the Spencer Mountain-range." Mr. Gould and 

 Mr. Buller have described the Australian and New-Zealand birds as distinct ; but Dr. Finsch 

 pointed out that, on comparing them with German specimens, no specific difference could be 

 found; and Mr. Buller, agreeing with this rectification of the synonymy, writes (Ibis, 1870, 

 p. 459): — "The specimen from which I took the original description of my Podiceps hectori did 

 not present any white markings on the wings or scapulars ; but this was probably due to the 

 condition of the dried skin ; for in all the specimens I have since examined, this character is 

 sufficiently conspicuous. My supposed species, like Mr. Gould's Podiceps australis, must there- 

 fore be held synonymous with the well-known Podiceps cristatus." 



Many authors have recorded the occurrence of the Great Crested Grebe in North America, 

 some even stating that it is not uncommon; but Dr. Brewer (Ibis, 1879, p. 113) denies its 

 presence there, and states, " No specimen of Podiceps cristatus is known to have been ever taken 

 in North America." 



Like the other Grebes the Great Crested Grebe is essentially a water-bird, being an expert 

 swimmer and diver ; but on land it is clumsy and evidently out of its element, being far more so 

 than the smaller species. When alarmed it plunges into the water, and seeks safety under its 

 surface in preference to taking wing, though when it has reached a considerable altitude it flies 

 with some speed, and by no means so heavily as one would imagine from the small size of its 

 wings. When flying it carries its head and neck stretched straight forward, the legs being 

 stretched equally straight out behind ; and it propels itself by very quick flaps of its short wings, 

 its flight being very direct; and when it alights it almost falls out of the air onto the water, 

 striking at first with its breast. 



In its general habits it is not very companionable, either toward others of its own species or 

 other waterfowl, at least during the breeding-season, and will drive away intruders from the 

 vicinity of its nest. Its voice is powerful and deep in tone, the usual call-note being a loud oft- 

 repeated keck, keck, keck, which is sometimes prolonged into a louder note resembling the 

 syllables kreworr, kreworr, this note being its pairing-cry. 



The food of this Grebe consists of various kinds, small fish, aquatic insects and their larvae ; 

 and, according to Naumann, it will also devour small frogs — vegetable substances being also 

 found, though in very small quantities, in its stomach. It obtains its food chiefly, almost 

 exclusively, by diving. 



It is a somewhat curious fact that this Grebe, even when quite young, makes a regular 

 practice of swallowing feathers ; and until old enough to be able to pluck them from their own 

 bodies, the young birds obtain the necessary supply from their parents. The first naturalist who 

 observed and pointed out this strange peculiarity appears to be the elder Mr. Meves, who, in an 

 article published in 1805 (Wied. Arch, fur Zool. iv. pp. 178-180), showed that Podiceps griseigena 

 habitually swallows its feathers, as does the present species ; but he never found any in the 

 stomachs of Podiceps auritus and Podiceps fluviatilis. Mr. Meves suggests that, as the larger 



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