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PODICIPINiE. 



GREBES AND ALLIED SPECIES. 



The PodicipinEe, of peculiar aspect, and readily distin- 

 guishable from all other birds, have the body of an elliptical 

 form, varying, however, in proportionate length, depressed, 

 especially behind, where it forms, when the legs are extended, 

 a broad, thin edge ; the neck long and slender ; the head 

 small, oblong, compressed, gradually tapering anteriorly. 



The bill is about the length of the head, slender, tapering, 

 compressed, and pointed ; the mouth dilatable ; the tongue 

 slender, trigonal, tapering, with the tip slit ; the oesophagus 

 wide ; the proventriculus ovate or bulbiform ; the stomach 

 rather large, roundish, with the muscular coat rather thick ; 

 the epithelium longitudinally rugous ; the intestine long ; 

 the cceca rather long and slender ; the cloaca very large. All 

 this indicates a piscatory mode of life, and the small linear or 

 oblong nostrils, eyes of moderate size, and extremely narrow 

 nasal apertures, accord with their diving habits. Their feet 

 are placed at the extremity of the body, or rather the tibia is 

 covered by the skin of the body, the extremely compressed 

 tarsus only coming oiF free ; the toes, webbed at the base, and 

 lobed, are so disposed that they fold together into a thin 

 blade, which, in giving the propelling stroke, is expanded 

 into a broad lobate paddle. 



Their plumage is remarkably soft and blended, on the 

 lower parts silky ; their wings small and pointed, with eleven 

 primaries ; their tail a mere tuftlet of downy plumules. The 

 head and neck are frequently ornamented with crests, ruffs, 

 or tippets, which are developed in spring, and disappear in 

 autumn. 



