THE RED-NECKED GREBEo 
185 
Length (total) from point of bill to end of tail 
,, of bill from forehead to point .... 
,, „ „ rictus „ .... 
„ „ „ nostrils „ .... 
„ „ wing from carpus to end of longest quill (which ^ 
is the second) ..... J 
in. 
17 
1 
2 
1 
7 
2 
lin, 
0 
7 
0 
0 
0 
4 
„ „ outer toe and nail (nail not extending beyondl ? 
fleshy portion on this toe) J 
„ „ middle toe and nail ..... 2 
„ „ inner toe and nail ...... 2 
„ ,, hind toe and nail ...... 0 
Weight, avoirdupois, 1 lb. 14f oz. 
Colour of irides inconspicuous, brownish-yellow. 
„ bill bright yellow towards base, greenish horn-colour towards tip. 
,, outer side of tarsi and base of all the toes and webs dusky. 
,, inner side of tarsi and upper side of all the toes and webs or 
membrane greenish-yellow. 
,, plumage agrees precisely with Jenyns’ description (p. 252) of the 
“ young at the age of two years.” 
Dissection proved it to be a female. 
The stomach contained the remains of several shrimps ( Crangon 
vulgaris ) and fishes, with f ear-bones 9 of small Gadidve. A pipe 
fish ( Syngnathus acus ), ten inches in length, was perfect, excepting 
the head, which had become decomposed. The fish was so long, 
that, retaining its straightness, as it did, the caudal fin appeared 
in the throat of the bird. A number of feathers (but not a ball 
of them) from the bird^s own body, were mixed with the food. 
None of the preceding five individuals were adult, if the 
plumage of this age be similar in winter and summer. Two of 
them were obtained in the most severe winters (1837-38 and 
1819-50) we have had within the period that the bird has been 
noticed. All the species of Podiceps are most frequently procured 
on the Irish coast during severe frost and snow. The red-necked 
grebe is considered rare in England. About the time that the 
last one occurred in Ireland, three individuals were stated at a 
meeting of the Yorkshire Naturalists'’ Club — on February 6th, 
1850 — to have “come under the inspection of Mr. Graham 
