452 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



sloped upwards to tip. Nostrils oblong and narrow on each side of 

 ridge of culmen near base. Narrow strip of bare skin between base 

 of upper mandibles and eye. Most of tibia enveloped by skin and 

 legs thus inserted very far back. Tarsus extremely compressed 

 and flat, serrated at back ; three toes long, flat, with broad, flat 

 and lobed lateral membranes and connected at base with webs, 

 hind toe elevated, very short, flat and lobed, claws flat and nail- 

 like. Feathers of under -parts stiff but with widely separated rami 

 except at tip, those round vent very loose and down-like. 



Soft parts. — Bill (ad.) ridge of culmen dark horn-brown, tip 

 pale bluish -livid, sides of basal parts of upper and base of under 

 mandibles carmine, (juv.) same but base paler bluish-pink ; legs 

 and feet : outside of tarsus olive -green with dark markings, inside 

 and toes greenish -yellow, edges of toes sepia, nails bluish ; iris 

 (ad.) crimson with narrow orange inner ring, (juv.) orange with 

 inner ring pale yellow ; bare strip on lores dusky -olive. 



Characters and allied forms. — P. c. infuscatus (Africa) has 

 black of crown extending lower behind eye, and no white line above 

 eye, chestnut of " tippet " more yellowish, upper -parts and flanks 

 blacker, winter and summer plumages apparently alike ; P. c. 

 australis (N. Zealand) has head like P. c. cristatus but no white 

 line above eye, upper -parts and flanks black like infuscatus. Large 

 size, pale bill, unspotted under -parts and in summer chestnut and 

 black tippet distinguish this species from other British Grebes. 



Field -characters. — Like Divers, Grebes are essentially aquatic ; 

 expert swimmers and divers, obtaining most of their food under 

 water. In alighting Grebes strike water with their breasts and do 

 not thrust forward feet to retard their advance as do Ducks and 

 Geese. This species distinguished by its superior size and slender 

 build ; in breeding-plumage by white fore-neck, dark chestnut 

 tippet, black ear -tufts and pinkish bill ; in winter plumage differs 

 from Red-necked Grebe in having white streak above eye. In 

 flight, when it appears mainly white, attenuated form, long neck 

 with head below plane of body and legs outstretched behind give 

 it grotesque appearance. Alarm-note " kek, kek." In spring utters 

 a barking cry, " wark, wark," a loud croaking groan, " aughrr," 

 and, during courtship display, a short repeated " t'ck." Hunger- 

 cry of young an incessant querulous " pee-a, pee-a, pee-a." 

 Breeding-habits. — Haunts broads, meres and reed-grown pools 

 of fair size, and on large sheets of water several pairs may be met 

 with, but occasionally has been found almost in colonies on the 

 Continent. Nest. — In water, composed of dead reeds and other 

 vegetable matter, such as pond-weeds, rushes, flags and occasion- 

 ally sticks. Weeds are pulled over the eggs when incubating bird 

 leaves. Eggs. — Usually 3 or 4, sometimes 5, but 6 to 9 have been 

 occasionally recorded, chalky-white when fresh, but rapidly be- 

 coming stained by contact with wet and decaying weeds. Average 

 of 100 British eggs, 54.8x36.7. Max. : 62.7x37.8 and 46.5x39. 



