THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Col. W. V. Legge,^ writing from Tasmania, says: “ The Great Lake is the 
headquarters of this species in Tasmania. It is no doubt found all over the 
Plateau, in the smaller lakes and tarns, but in less numbers than here. It is 
a shy bird on this lake at all times, not allowing the near approach of a boat. 
After the manner of its smaller congeners, it not infrequently resorts to flight, 
and gets along just above the surface of the water at a good pace. The Grebes, 
like the Musk-Duck, re-appears quickly on the lake after the spring thaw. In 
the lowlands it is by no means a common bird, but is met with unexpectedly 
in places where its presence is a surprise. It is occasionally seen in the littoral 
region of the east of Tasmania, affecting the tidal waters for example, at 
George’s Bay.” 
Mr. Campbellj" remarks : “ Although usually an mland bird, large flocks of 
Tippet Grebes are sometimes seen on the waters of Port Phillip. Occasionally 
I have noticed odd pairs together with Hoary-headed Grebes gracefully riding 
the waves near the shipping in Hobson’s Bay. 
“ Both male and female aid in the construction of the nest.” 
Mr. J. P. Rogers, in a letter dated June, 1908, teUs me he shot the only 
specimen of this species he ever saw in North-western Australia, on February 
22nd, 1902. 
GouldJ writes : “ It gives a decided preference to those broad, mere-like 
sheets of water, whose depth is not too great for the growth of rushes and other 
aquatic plants, among which it constructs its floating nest and rears its progeny. 
It not only dives extremely well, but stems the billows with amazing power ; 
and I have frequently observed it on the upper part of the Derwent, swimming 
against wind and tide in a manner that truly suprised me.” 
The bird figured and described was collected in Victoria, in November, 1903. 
For the Australian form of P. cristatus, I have proposed, as above, the new 
name of P. cristatus christiani (named after Mr. E. J. Christian, of Victoria), for 
the following reasons : — 
In the P.Z.S., 1844, p. 135, Gould proposed the name of Podiceps australis 
with the following features, “ Differs in being somewhat larger in size and having 
the frill fuller and of a blacker hue ; ” and apologised for the scant discriminating 
characters he could see, but apparently depended almost entirely upon locality. 
His description reads, “ Upper-surface and wings dark brown,” and his 
measurements are, “ Bill 2f, wing 7J, tarsi 2J inches.” The locality was 
“ Australia and Van Diemen’s Land.” 
* Emu, IV., p. 106 (1905). 
t Neats and Eggs Austr. B., p. 1005 (1901). 
J Handb. B. Austr., II., p. 511 (1865). 
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