THE GREAT- CRESTED GREBE. 
173 
Prom the last-named period I ceased taking particular notes of 
their occurrence; but in 1845 I heard of one having, some years 
previously, been shot on Lough Achery, a few miles from Hills- 
borough ; where the one only had been observed. In the last week 
of December 1847, a young bird of the year was shot on Lough 
Neagh; on the 15th of April 1849, an. adult female, on Acton 
Lake, county of Armagh ; and on the 30th of March, 1850, a 
bird in full adult plumage, on Lough Neagh; — the crest on this 
individual was so large and fine, that I considered it a male (the 
female bears the same appendage), which it was found to be on 
dissection. On the 13th of May the same year, an adult male was 
shot on this lake, near Lurgan. 
One striking fact is learned from the preceding data, namely,’ 
that all the birds excepting one were killed upon fresh-water. 
Audubon, who gives a very good account of this species, remarks, 
that he never observed it near the sea-coast in North America.* 
During and after severe weather in winter, it is met with, sparingly, 
on the coast of Ireland. 
The following notes bear witness to native specimens in Dub- 
lin . — - March 1833. I saw one in Mr. Massey's collection at the 
Pigeon-house Port. Mr. W. S. Wall, bird-preserver, stated that 
within the last few years he had received not less than 20 speci- 
mens, which were killed in various parts of Ireland. May 1837. 
He has now a bird in adult plumage, which was purchased early 
in April last, in Dublin market. I saw, in Mr. Warren's collec- 
tion, two adult birds, in full nuptial garb, which were shot in the 
preceding month of March, by the gamekeeper at Knockdrin 
Castle, near Mullingar, the seat of Sir Kichard Levinge, Bart. 
On dissection, they proved to be male and female : their plumage 
is similar, both having the ruff or crest. In this collection were 
three more of these birds, but wanting the ruff : one of them 
was shot in Kingstown Harbour, near Dublin. One only of these 
five specimens is bare of feathers on the abdomen, and it is in 
full summer plumage. All of the others are abundantly furnished 
* ‘ Ora. Biog.,’ vol. iii. p. 595. 
