132 



THE BIRDS OF EASTEKN NOKTFI AMERICA. 



COLYMBUS HOLBOELLII (Reinh.). 

 Holboell's Grebe. 



Summer: Crowii, nape, uud back of Lhe neck, black; back, dull black or 

 ))lackisli; throat, belly, aud sides of the head, silvery white; front 

 and skies of neck, rufous browu, frradually shading lighter on breast; 

 sides of body, more or less rufous. 



Adult in vrlntcr : Upper plumage, sooty brown; throat and undci-- 

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

 birds have the throat aud sides tinged with gray. 



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

 DistributioH : North America at large, including Greenland {A. 0. U.) : 

 south in wiuter to North Carolina and Middle States of the interioi-; 

 breeds from Minnesota aud Dakota northwards. 



Xest and ef/gs : The nest is usually composed of grass and reeds, 

 ;. 'riie eggs are soiled white or pale greenish white, from three to live in number, 

 2.20 X 1.3.5. 



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 famii}' it i.s an expert diver, and rarely takes wing when pursued, 

 usually disappearing bencatii 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 AURJTUS Ltnn. 



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 ])lack; secon- 

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

 feathers at the sides of the occiput, brownish buft'. 



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

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

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



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



Distribution: Northern Hemisphere, breeding from the 

 United States northward (^1. 0. U.), 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 

 1.75x1.15. 



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