246 
BIRDS. 
378. Podiceps auritus {L.). Sclavonian Grebe. 
A casual winter visitant. A bird of this species was taken in 
a garden at Golspie in December 1882. The person who 
caught it kept it alive for a week on fish, but it at last died, 
and is now preserved in the Dunrobin Museum. It occurs 
also in the Dornoch Firth. 
A rare winter visitant to Caithness (0. MSS.). 
Ohs. — Mr. L. Dunbar records an adult female dusky 
grebe shot at Westfield by Mr. MacNicol, keeper, on Decem- 
ber 6th, 1878, and he also speaks of it as being occasionally 
met with. Mr. Eeid also speaks of its occurrence in the 
county. 
379. Podiceps nigricollis {G. L. Brehm). Eared Grebe. 
380. Podiceps fluviatilis (Tunstall). Little Grebe. 
Eesident, but not abundant on the east coast, being seen most 
frequently in the winter; it breeds on Loch Brora. A 
favourite place in the winter is the stream that issues from 
the sluices at the Mound. Common about Dornoch, where 
three or four sittings of eggs can be obtained annually. 
Breeds near Balnakeil, Durness, and at Tongue, but rare or 
absent in the west. One was shot on Loch Mulach-Corry, 
at the base of Ben More, Assynt, a year or two previous to 
1877, the first seen in the district by any of the natives, 
keepers, or shepherds. 
Common and resident, breeding in many suitable localities, 
but is much rarer in winter (0. MSS., 1868). 
