132 



THE BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 



COLYMBUS HOLBOELLII (Reinh.). 

 Holboell's Grebe. 



char. 



Summer: Crown, nape, and back of the neck, black; back, dull black or 

 blackish; throat, belly, and sides of the head, silvery white; front 

 and sides of neck, rufous brown, gradually shading lighter on breast; 

 sides of body, more or less rufous. 



Adult in winter: Upper plumage, sooty brown; throat and iiiulcr- 

 parts, silvery white ; neck, more or less tinged with rufous. Immature 

 birds have the throat and sides tinged with gray. 



Length, 18 to 20; wing, 7.60; tarsus, 2.15; bill, 1.80 to 2. 

 Distribution : North America at large, including Greenland (A. O.U.) : 

 south in winter to North Carolina and Middle States of the interior; 

 breeds from Minnesota and Dakota northwards. 



Nest and eggs: The nest is usually composed of grass and reeds, 

 often floating. The eggs are soiled white or pale greenish white, from three to five in number, 

 and measure 2.20 x 1.35. 



Holboell's Grebe is the largest of the family in Eastern North America. 

 It is not uncommon on the Atlantic coast during the winter months. Like 

 others of its family it is an expert diver, and rarely takes wing when pursued, 

 usually disappearing beneath the water with an ease and quickness which has 

 won for it the sobriquet of Hell Diver. When frightened it often swims under 

 water with only a small portion of the head and bill exposed. 



SUBGENUS DYTES KAUP. 

 COLYMBUS AURITUS Linn. 



Horned Grebe. Water Witch. 



Adult in summer : Upper parts, including back, wings, top 

 of the head and back of the neck, glossy black ; throat, black ; 

 front of the neck, breast, and sides of the body, rufous chest- 

 nut ; rest of underparts, white ; wings, dusky black ; secon- 

 daries, white ; lores, dull chestnut ; the two small tufts of 

 feathers at the sides of the occiput, brownish buff. 



Adult in winter and immature : Head and back, grayish ; 

 underparts, white, usually tinged with gray on the breast and 

 lower throat; no tufts on sides of the head in winter plumage. 



Length: 13.40; wing, 5.40; tarsus, 1.70; bill, .85 to .95. 



Distribution : Northern Hemisphere, breeding from the 

 United States northward (A. O. ?7.), migrating south in 

 winter to Florida and the Gulf States. 



Nest and eggs: The nest is a mass of floating grass or 

 weeds or a mat of grass on a partly submerged marsh ; the 



eggs are four to seven, dull white or yellowish white, or soiled brownish white, and measure 

 1.75 x 1.15. 



