THE EARED GREBE. 
240 
silvery white ; the fore part of the neck and sides of the 
body red. This bird, which in its winter plumage is some- 
times called the Dusky Grebe, is not very uncommon in 
Scotland in the cold seasons, but is very rare indeed in any 
part of Britain in summer. It is not known to breed with 
us, going mostly far north for that purpose. ' Some,' says 
Audubon, * remain within the limits of the United States 
during the whole year, rearing their young on the borders 
of ponds, particularly in the northern parts of the state of 
Ohio, in the vicinity of Lake Erie. Two nests which I 
found were placed at a distance of about four yards from 
the water's edge, on the top of broken-down tussocks of 
rank wood. The materials of which they were composed 
were of the same nature, and rudely interwoven to a height 
of upwards of seven inches. There were five eggs in one 
nest, seven in the other ; they were about one inch and 
three quarters in length, of a uniform yellowish cream 
colour. The nests are not fastened to the weeds around, 
nor do I conceive it probable that they could be floated, as 
various writers assert they are at times.' 
The Eared Grebe is somewhat smaller than the species 
last described, seldom measuring above thirteen inches in 
length ; it is distinguished from all the other Grebes by 
the peculiar form of the bill, which is curved a little up- 
wards at the end, and depressed at the base. This bird 
has a short black rulF, and a tuft of elongated orange-red 
feathers springing from behind each eye — hence the name 
Eared ; the upper parts are greyish black, the lower silvery 
white, the sides light red, streaked with white. Mac- 
gillivray says : — 
Little can be said about the habits of this species as distinguished 
from those of the preceding. It is said to be abundant in the northern 
parts of Europe, to occur also in America, and to be less addicted to 
betake itself to the sea than the larger species, its principal food 
being aquatic insects, small fishes, and seeds. During snow, however, 
it is occasionally met with in our estuaries and along the coasts, and 
in Avinter is not very rare in many parts of England, although I 
have not seen many that were obtained in Scotland. Montagu 
states that it inhabits the fens of Lincolnshire, where it breeds, 
making a floating nest, and laying four or five white eggs. 
