636 



Grebes often swallow tolerable-sized fishes, the bones of which are large and sharp, these 

 feathers may protect the coats of the stomach. 



The Great Crested Grebe has for long been greatly persecuted on account of the rich silky 

 texture and appearance of the under surface of the body, its skin being a well-known and very 

 marketable article and much in request for trimmings. In many parts of Europe it is syste- 

 matically hunted in boats on the large lakes and shot down. Yarrell gives an account of Grebe- 

 shooting on the Lake of Geneva ; and Lord Lilford, who has pursued that sport on the same 

 lake, sends me the following notes : — " We used to pursue these birds persistently on the Lake 

 of Geneva in the winter of 1850-51, but, owing to the clumsiness of our craft and the laziness 

 and timidity of our boatmen, with very moderate success. The Grebes begin to appear on the 

 lake about the end of October, and from that time till about the middle of March are to be 

 found, occasionally in great numbers, off most parts of the northern shores, especially nearVevay 

 and Ouchy. A perfectly calm frosty day, without a ripple on the water, is necessary for success, 

 as the Grebe, when hard pressed, will only just put its nostrils above the surface, and sometimes 

 stick close to the boat, and get fresh wind unperceived. Out of a flock of perhaps fifty the 

 greater part would take wing on our approach ; three or four would remain and commence 

 diving ; and we used to reckon that a bird which dived three times would not fly. The only way 

 to kill these birds was to fire just under their heads, when they plunged into the charge. The 

 skins were at the time above mentioned Avorth from six to eight francs a piece. The Swiss 

 boatmen used to say that as soon as the crest began to appear the Grebes would not dive, and 

 that it was consequently useless to chase them. I have certainly noticed that on the Norfolk 

 broads these birds take wing more readily in March and April than at other times of the year. 

 This species is not uncommon in winter in Epirus, where we met with it on the lagoons near 

 Bastia, as also in Sardinia, and on the coast of Sicily." 



Mr. A. O. Hume gives a very graphic account of Grebe-shooting in India, which I tran- 

 scribe (Stray Feathers, i. p. 142) as follows : — "Any one who likes may laugh ; but to me a Grebe- 

 chase at sea is a first-rate sport. At Gvvader there are two fine bays, one in front and one behind 

 the town, which is built on a broad spit of sand connecting the mainland with a huge rocky 

 headland that, at the distance of a few miles, appears from the sea to be an island. In both 

 bays numbers of Grebes, both the common Crested and the Black-necked, are seen dotted about. 

 You get a light native canoe, just holding two rowers besides yourself, a rather crank concern, 

 but which if you are only steady, rises over the swells like a duck. Picking out your particular 

 Grebe, you give chase, kneeling low in front of the boat. To-day there was no wind, and the 

 surface was unrippled, but there was a long delicious swell, rocking one slowly and tenderly, 

 altogether charming, but slightly interfering with the sport, for which a dead calm is best. 

 When you get within 100 yards of your bird, he begins, if you go straight at him, to swim away 

 almost as fast as you can pull ; and if you gain on him, he dives ; but if you direct your course 

 so as to pass by him at about sixty yards, he will often, if he has not previously been fired at, 

 allow you a snap-shot at that distance ; I say a snap-shot, because he is watching you all the 

 time, and you must fire the instant you raise your gun, or you have no chance. The second 

 Grebe I killed to-day I rolled over dead the first shot, when passing by him at about fifty-five 

 yards ; the first, though similarly approached, dived at about eighty yards. We pulled as hard as 



