NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 231 



teriorly, edged with grayish. Primaries rather light chocolate brown, their 

 shafts and tips black. Secondaries white, their inner vanes brown towards 

 their extreme tips. Wing coverts wholly chocolate brown. 



Dimensions. Bill above 2-40, along gape 3*10, height at nostril -5-5, from 

 angle of gonys to tip 1 inch ; wing 8*80 ; tarsus 2-40 ; middle toe, 3 - 10. 



Habitat. Shoalwater Bay, W. T. 



A species admitted with some doubt, but probably distinct from the pre- 

 ceding. It must be obtained in full plumage before the question of its rela- 

 tionship can be definitely settled. We do not consider it by any means cer- 

 tain that it will possess the conspicuous ruffs of P. cristatus. In that event, it 

 would more probably fall in some other subgenus. 



3. Podiceps (Dytes) cornutus (Gmelin.) 



Colymbus cornutus, Gmel., 1788; Pall., 1811; ad. C. obscurus, Gmel., 

 1788, et C. caspicus, Gmel., 1788 ; juv. C. nigricans, Scopoli, fide 

 Lawr. Podiceps cornutus, Lath., 1790, et auct. ? P. arcticus, Boie. 

 Habitat. Europ. Amer. Sept. 



4. Podiceps (Peoctopus) Californicus Heermann. 



Podiceps auritus ex America ; e. g. Aud. B. Am., 1844, vii. 322. Lawr. 

 Gen. Rep. 1858, synon. excl. Nee Colymbus axw. Linn. ; nee script. 

 Europ. P. Californicus, Heermann, 1854; Lawr., 1858. 



Char. Generally similar to P. auritus of Europe ; all the primaries choco- 

 late brown throughout their whole extent, with a more or less notable amount 

 of dull reddish externally. Secondaries white, the two outer ones dusky 

 along their centres for their whole length, and the bases and shafts of all of 

 the same color. 



Habitat. Western and Northern North America ; California ; Great Slave 

 Lake. 



In 1854, a Podiceps californicus was characterized, as above, based upon an 

 immature or winter specimen. Examination of the type, and quite a series 

 of additional specimens, has shown that it is merely the American form of P. 

 auritus. The name would, therefore, become a synonym were it not for the 

 fact that, in all probability, the American and European birds are specifically 

 distinct. The differences are those given in the diagnosis. In the American 

 Eared Grebe, all the primaries are throughout their whole extent dark choco- 

 late brown, with a more or less notable amount of dull reddish in the adult. 

 The two first secondaries are of the color of its primaries, and bordered with 

 white ; and the basal portions and shafts of all, for the greater part of their 

 length, are of the same chocolate brown. In all the specimens of the European 

 type examined, the characters of the wing are very different. The four inner 

 primaries are wholly pure white; the next is white with a sprinkling of 

 brown on the outer web ; the next is white, its outer vane brown ; and all 

 the others have more or less white at their bases and on the inner webs. All 

 the secondaries, except the three innermost are entirely pure white, and their 

 shafts are white to the very base. The three innermost have a dusky spot 

 near the end of the outer web. These differences, so far as we can discover, 

 are constant ; and if so, quite sufficient to separate the two. 



Although " californicus " was not so characterized as to show any tangible 

 distinctive features from the auritus, we prefer to adopt it, as the necessity 

 for a new name will thereby be obviated. 



5. Podiceps (Pedetaithta) Holbolli Reinhardt. 



Pod. rubricollis, Audub. et al. script. Amer. ; nee Lath., 1790, et auct. 

 Europ. P. griseigena, Lawr., 1858, excl. synon. Nee Colymbus grisei- 

 gena, Bodd. P. Holbolli, Reinhardt, 1853. 

 Sp. Char. Generally similar to P. griseigena, but larger, with the bill dis- 

 proportionately longer, stouter, and differently colored. Bill about equal to 



1862.] 



