180 
COLYMBIM. 
to Montagues having obtained feathers in the red-necked and the 
crested species, it is asked — “ Are these to be considered as ana- 
logous to bezoars ?” (p. 132.) Mr. Allis, of York, states that 
“ in the stomachs of the larger grebes” he has “ uniformly found 
a considerably- sized ball composed principally of feathers.”* The 
Rev. T. Knox, in a contribution to Loudon* s f Magazine of Na- 
tural History* (vol. ix. p. 202), remarked on one of these birdst 
received by him on the 5th of January, 1836 — its “first sto- 
mach contained three perch, one five inches long and quite per- 
fect, and the colours almost as bright as if just taken ; the giz- 
zard, which was very muscular, contained a great mass of feathers, 
and among them two or three perch partly digested, one of them 
three inches and three-quarters long, another one inch and a half. 
I washed the feathers, and, on comparison, found that they cor- 
responded with those on the sides of the bird under the wing, or 
with those on the thigh. They were chiefly in a half digested 
state, and, as there were no traces of them on the lower intestines, 
it appears extremely probable that they may be finally assimilated 
with the food : or, is it necessary, in the economy of the larger 
species of grebe, that the gizzard should be always full ?** Au- 
dubon, in describing an American species, the Podiceps Caroli- 
nensis 3 mentions having taken from their gizzards “ a quantity of 
a feather-like substance, which he found to be the down of certain 
plants, such as thistles, &c.” It is likewise remarked that he has 
obtained “ similar substances in the stomach of many individuals 
of Podiceps cristatus”% (Orn. Biog. vol. iii. p. 362). He states, 
at p. 432, under Podiceps cornutus , “ I have observed, in the sto- 
machs of almost all that I have examined, a quantity of hair-like 
substances rolled together like the pellets of owls, but have not 
ascertained whether or not these matters are disgorged. They 
certainly cannot pass through the intestines. But unless birds 
* Loudon’s Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. v. p. 733. 
f This individual is doubtfully called Podiceps cristatus in the communication ; — 
having, with other grebes, been sent to Dublin for my examination, it proved to be 
that species. 
\ I cannot but think that the light downy feathers of the bird were mistaken for 
the seeds of plants, which they superficially resemble. 
