662 



dry in summer, is marvellous, as I never saw one on the wing like Podiceps cristatus. The 

 Dabchick, in winter, is almost always to be seen on the inundation at the north of Gibraltar, 

 and takes no notice of the numerous passers by, familiarity breeding contempt." 



Passing eastward I find it recorded as tolerably abundant in Savoy, especially in winter, 

 when it is found both on the lakes and on the small pools ; in Italy, Sardinia, and Sicily it is 

 resident, its numbers being augmented in winter by arrivals from the north. Mr. C. A. Wright 

 records it in Malta as being by no means uncommon late in August and early in September ; 

 and Lord Lilford informs me that he found it abundant in Corsica. 



In Southern Germany it is very numerous, and is said by Dr. Anton Fritsch (J. f. O. 1872, 

 p. 378) to be the commonest of all the Grebes in Bohemia, and found even on the smaller 

 ponds. It is said to winter on the Moldau near Frauenberg ; but most of those which breed 

 there migrate south in November, returning again in March. It is very generally distributed in 

 Austria, and winters in Styria; but Messrs. Danford and Harvie-Brown say that it is not common 

 in Transylvania. Dr. Kriiper records it as being resident and tolerably numerous in Greece, 

 wintering in the Ionian Islands. In the Black Sea it is said to be very frequently met with ; and 

 it is a resident in Asia Minor and in Palestine. According to Captain Shelley (B. of Egypt, 

 p. 314) the Little Grebe is plentiful in Lower Egypt and the Fayoom; but he never observed it 

 on the Nile. According to Von Heuglin it is much commoner in North-east Africa in the winter 

 than in the summer ; but it breeds there, and is found in Abyssinia at from 5000 to 11,000 feet 

 altitude. Blanford met with it in that country near Zoulla and on Lake Ashangi; and Lefebvre 

 shot a female in May at Adowa, in which he found an egg ready for exclusion. According to 

 Loche it is resident on all the lakes of Algeria, being especially numerous on Halloula and 

 Fezzara ; and Favier writes {fide Colonel Irby, I. c.) : — " This small Grebe is resident near Tangier, 

 although to a great extent migratory, passing north during April, and reappearing from October 

 to December. It is resident and especially numerous at the lakes of Bas-Dowra, where the 

 Arabs, during the breeding-season, in a great measure subsist on the eggs of various aquatic 

 birds, destroying a prodigious quantity." 



It is abundant near Accra, on the Gold Coast, and has been recorded from Senegambia, the 

 Gaboon, Angola, and Benguela ; and Mr. C. J. Andersson writes (B. of Damara L. p. 347), " I 

 have repeatedly shot this diminutive Grebe at Lake Ngami, Otjikoto, Omanbonde, and Walwich 

 Bay, but have nowhere found it abundant, except in the vleys of the Ondonga country, where it 

 breeds in vast numbers." It is also found in the Cape colony, and is said to be common on the 

 lagoons of Natal, being also met with in the rocky streams inland, usually in pairs. Barratt 

 found it near Potchefstroom, in theLydenburg district, where it was tolerably common; it occurs 

 in Mozambique, and is quite numerous and resident in Madagascar. 



In Asia the Little Grebe is very widely distributed. It is found on the Caspian. Mr. Blanford 

 obtained it in Persia. Mr. Hume met with it numerously throughout Sindh ; and Dr. Jerdon 

 writes (B. of India, iii. p. 823) : — " It is exceedingly abundant in all parts of India, and, in 

 spite of its short wings, appears to wander about a great deal. There is a considerable colony 

 of these birds on the lake at Ootacamund, which is an artificial piece of water; they must 

 consequently have been attracted to the spot when flying at a considerable height. This bird 

 is found in all lakes, tanks, and rivers, and even small ponds, in small parties, occasionally 



