RED-NECKED GREBE. 263 



of the body more distinctly so. The feet dark greenish- 

 brown externally, paler internally. 



Progress towards Maturity. — A male individual shot 

 near Stirling, in December 1838, and which appears to be in 

 its second winter, may be described thus : — The occipital tufts 

 and the ruff are pretty distinct. The bill is black, in*egularly 

 streaked with yellow, and paler toward the tip, with the basal 

 margins of the upper mandible and the base of the lower, to 

 the extent of half an inch, pale yellow. The feet greenish- 

 black externally, dull yellowish-green internally. The upper 

 part of the head is dusky-grey, its sides gradually shaded into 

 greyish-white, of which colour is the throat ; below the ruff, 

 the neck for two inches and a half, is pale grey in front and 

 on the sides, and beyond this the lower parts are silvery- 

 white ; but the lower part of the neck, its sides, and those of 

 the body, are spotted with dusky, and the shafts of the 

 feathers toward the end, are black. The hind-neck is dusky- 

 grey, tinged with brown. The upper parts of the body are 

 greyish-black, with the feathers margined with dull grey. 

 The primary quills are greyish-black on the outer, dusky- 

 grey on the inner web ; the tAvo first secondaries similar, the 

 next with a patch of white, the next ten almost entirely white, 

 three with white toward the base, the rest and the tertiaries 

 black; the lower wing-coverts, some of the feathers on the 

 fore edge of the wing, and a patch across the humerus, white. 

 The contents of the stomach were vertebree and other bones 

 of fishes, green confervae, and a quantity of feathers. 



Length to end of tail 17^ inches ; extent of wings 30 ; 

 bill along the ridge 1^ ; along the edge of lower mandible 

 2-jL. ; wing from flexure 7^ ; tarsus 2-^ ; outer toe 2jV, its 

 claw -j^. 



Remarks. — In all stages this species may easily be dis- 

 tinguished from Podiceps cristatus, by the form and colour of 

 its bill, which is much thicker, and has the base coloured 

 with yellow instead of carmine. 



