PODICEPS OCCIDENTALIS, WESTERN GREBE. 727 



plumage in this family, but such is apparently the case. Under these circumstances 

 it is obviously proper to hold Schlegel's deteruiinatiou iu check. 



There are two well-marked forms of this species, quite easy to recognize in their 

 extreme manifestations, yet apparently not separable specitically. They may be dis- 

 tinguished as follows: 



I flr. OCCIDENTALIS : Large; length (extreme), about 29 inches ; wing, about 8; bill 

 and tarsus, each about '3. Bill equal to tarsus, straight, mostly dark olivaceous, 

 brighter yellowish at tip and along cutting edges. Under outline of bill straight from 

 base to the slight angle, gouys thence straight to tip. Lores ashy-gray. 



Rfr. CLAKKii : Small: length, .about 22 inches; wing, about 7; bill, 2.25; tarsus, 

 2.75. Bill shorter than tarsus, slightly recurved, under outline almost regularly con- 

 vex from base to tip, with barely axjpreciable angle. Lores pure white. 



PODICEPS (^CHMOPHOEUS) OCCIDENT ALIS, Lawr. 



Western Grebe, 



a. occidentaUs. 



Podiccjis occideviaUs, Lawr., B. N. A. 1858, 894.— Coop. & Suck., N. H. Wash. Ter. 18G0, 



281, pi. :38.— CouES, Key, 1872. 336. 

 ^chmojjhonis occideiitaUa, Couks, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1862, 229. — CouKS, Ibis, Apr. 1866, 



273 (Southern California). 



b. clarJcii. 



Podiceps clarkii, Lawr., B. N. A. 1858, 895. 



JEi:hmoph>rn>i chirldi, CoUES, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1862, 229 ; Hid. 404 (breeding plumage). 



Podi(;cpi< occideniulis var. clarkii, CouEs, Key, 1872, 336. 



Bub.— Both varieties" occur together in the United States west of the Rocky- 

 Mountains. 



Var. OCCIDENTALIS: Western Grebe. 



Adult. — Culmen and gonys dusky olivaceous, the bill becoming yellowish toward 

 the end and along the cutting edges. Iris orange-red with a pinkish shade, surrounded 

 with a wliite ring. Hard i)arts of palate in life like the bill ; soft parts light purplish 

 or lavender. lusides of tarsi and soles black ; outsides of tarsi and top of foot dull 

 bluish-green, becoming yellowish in centre of the webs. Forehead and lores dark 

 silvery-ash. A short occipital crest and indications of cheek rufits, but neither brightly 

 colored, agreeing with tlui plain dark and white colors of the parts. Top of head and 

 line down back of neck fuliginous blackish, fading on the back and upper parts gener- 

 ally into a lighter, rather brownish-black, the feathers of tbe back with grayish margins. 

 Primaries niostly deep chocolate-brown, basally white, their shafts whitish at base, 

 black terminally. Secondaries mostly white, but more or fewer of the outer webs, 

 wholly or in part, dark. Sides under the wiugs washed with a pale shade of the color 

 of the back. Lining of wings and whole under parts from the bill i>ure silky white. 



Jfiiin'imiuiii. — Length, 24 to 29 inches ; wing, about 8 ; bill aloug culujcn, tarsus, and 

 middle toe with claw, each, 3 ; gape of bill, 3.60 ; ita height at nostril, 0.50. 



This is a remarkable Grebe, the largest of this country, and one re- 

 qniriiig- comparison with noother for its determination. It was originally 

 described from the Pacitic coast, along which it is found from Oregon 

 and Washington Territories to Southern California, or further: while 

 latterly it Ims been found breeding in Nevada and Utah by 'Siv. Kidgway. 

 I ob.served it Ireciuently on the California coast, at San I'edro, iu Novem- 

 ber, where it was common on the waters of the harbor, with the Pacilic 

 Diver, Cormorants, and numerous other water-fowl. It is a line-looking 

 bird on the water, has a trim and shapely as[!ect, like a clipper siiip, 

 while its long sinuous neck is held in a gracefid curve, or variously de- 

 llected to either side. A specimen which I opened had the stomach tilled 

 ■with a kiml of a(piatic grass. Tiie birds were not very shy, and several 

 were readily [trocured, notwithstanding their great powi'is of ili\ ing. 



Among Dr. Keuuerl^'s Mss. I find the following: "This species, and 



