373 
1921 .] Birds of Lower Egypt . 
172. Nyroca fuligula. Tufted Duck, 
Although numerous elsewhere in Egypt—where deeper 
water occurs—this species rarely turned up at Abu Zabaal ; 
but I obtained a few, notably on 26 October, 1916, when a 
pair were shot out of several seen. 
173. Pelecanus sp. ? Pelican. 
I saw small lots of Pelicans flying over during the 
autumn, but they never alighted to my knowledge. On 
6 August, 1918, three flew over at no great height, going 
towards the Nile, and a flock of over fifty were observed 
steering a similar course on 26 November, 1918. 
174. Podiceps ruficollis capensis. Little Grebe. 
On 11 November, 1918, when returning to Abu Zabaal by 
train, I saw some birds on a pool of deep water in the base 
of some disused quarries. Two days later I walked up there 
to see what they were, and was agreeably surprised to 
identify them as this species. I was astonished to observe 
three young birds still in the down, one pair of birds in 
full summer plumage, and three adults in winter plumage. 
There are practically no reeds or vegetation about the place, 
which is surrounded by desert. The nest was a mass of 
rubbish moored against a rock, and was extremely con¬ 
spicuous. I secured one of the adults in summer plumage 
for purposes of identification, and on 18 November Mr. J. L. 
Bonhote and Major F. W. Borman came down to see the 
others. Little Grebes probably always remain there, and 
although only a short mile from my quarters I liad never 
really investigated the place before. Throughout the winter 
of 1918-19 the numbers increased somewhat, and on 6 April, 
1919, I found a nest containing four fresh eggs, having four 
days previously taken an odd egg from another nest. On 
this date four birds were in summer plumage and five in 
winter. My departure from Abu Zabaal soon after pre¬ 
vented me making further observations of these interesting- 
birds. 
[A clutch of two eggs in my collection was taken at 
Inchas on 5 June, 1909 : probably a second brood.—B; S.] 
