THE GREAT- CRESTED GREBE. 
175 
eggs had not been seen by any of the persons questioned respect- 
ing them. Two of these grebes, shot about the river Shannon 
or Lough Derg, on the 2nd of March, ] 847, were sent to the 
Belfast Museum by the late Mr. J. J. Marshall, of Portumna. The 
one was in full summer plumage, and the other in the next stage 
to maturity. The lower plumage of the adult was greatly more 
shining and silky in appearance than that of the other. Dissec- 
tion showed both to be males. 
Breeding Haunts . — Under this heading, such of the instances 
as have already been mentioned that relate exclusively to the 
breeding season will be repeated. 
The great- crested grebe is known to nidify in lakes situated in 
a few of the Irish counties, and probably does so in a number of 
them. In the summer of 1834, one was shot at a small lake in 
Hillsborough Park (Down), where the species is said to breed 
annually. The gamekeeper, before firing at the bird, was struck 
by the singular appearance of its back, and afterwards found, to 
his surprise, that this was caused by its having a young one under 
each wing. - * An ornithologist visiting this park on the 10th of 
June, 1845, saw one of these birds on the lake, and was told by 
the keeper that its mate was probably on her nest, as, when not 
there, the pair are generally together. As a second bird had not 
been observed for a few days, it was concluded that the female 
was engaged in incubation. A pair only breeds here. None 
have been seen in any winter, excepting in that of 1847-48, 
during which two birds are said to have remained. No matter 
how many are produced here, never more than one pair returned 
to breed. Portion of a nest of the preceding year was brought to 
me from this lake in June 1849, and proved to be wholly com- 
posed of Charce. The eggs are usually three in number. 
Adult birds in full summer plumage, shot on the 26th of 
April, 1842, and in the first week of the same month in 1845, 
came under my notice ; the former obtained in the neighbourhood 
* Pennant was aware of its thus protecting its brood : and remarked — “ It is a 
careful nurse of its young, being observed to feed them most assiduously, com- 
monly with small eels ; and when its infant brood are tired, will carry them either 
on its back or under its wings” (p. 420). 
