274 NEW-YORK FAUNA — BIRDS. 



THE HORNED GREBE. 



PoDICEPS CORNUTUS. 

 PLATE CXL. FIG. 305 (Immature). 

 (STATE COLLECTION.) 



Coly?nbus cornutus, Gmelin. Podiceps id. Latham. 



Homed Grebe. Pennant, Arct. Zool. Vol. 2, p. 247. Bonaparte, Ann. Lye. N. Y. Vol. 2, p. 417. 

 Horned Grebe, or Dobchick. Nuttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 254. Giraud, Birds of Long island, p. 281. 

 P. cornutus. Audubon, B. of Am. Vol. 7, p- 316, pi. 481. 



Characteristics. Bill shorter than the head, compressed throughout. Secondaries white ; 

 12 outer quills entirely brown. Adult, dusky; beneath white ; a tuft of 

 rufous feathers above and beneath each eye ; neck and breast rufous : 

 a broad black ruff round the neck. Young, pure white beneath, except 

 the neck ; the white nearly meeting on the nape : no ornamental tufts. 

 Length, 15 '0. 



Description. Bill straight, uniformly attenuated to the straight tip, 1 ' long. Crest and 

 ruff as noted in the specific phrase. In the young, the crest is apparent, but not conspicuous, 

 and the place of the ruff is marked by somewhat longer feathers. Tarsus 1*7, much com- 

 pressed, serrate behind, smoother in front : middle toe pectinate. 



Color. Head, nape and throat greenish black ; a broad buff orange eye-stripe ; reddish 

 before the eye, and on the sides of the nape ; above, blackish brown. Under surface and 

 sides of the neck and breast, the flanks and thighs, reddish orange : vent greyish ; beneath 

 shining yellow. Orbits and rictus red. Legs brownish. Immature or in change, from a 

 specimen shot November 1, in the neighborhood of New-York : Summit of the head and 

 back of the neck blackish with a slight gloss of green ; space before the eye grey ; cheeks, 

 chin and throat white, with a few obsolete rufous spots ; lower part of the neck in front 

 mixed with brown ; sides of the rump varied with white ; beneath glossy white ; back and 

 wings varied with reddish brown, dark brown and a slight tinge of slate ; secondaries white, 

 the posterior ones tipped with brown. 



Length, 14-5-15-5. 



This little aquatic bird, which is known under the various names of Dipper, Water-witch, 

 and Hell-diver, appears in this State in June, and remains with us until November. It oc- 

 curs also in the interior from 26° to 68° north. It breeds in this State, laying three or four 

 white eggs spotted with brown. Feeds on insects, fishes, crabs, and fresh and salt-water 

 shells. It is common to Europe and America. 



