P0BICIPED1D2E : GREBES. 793 



dered still more so by the almost grotesque parti-colored ruffs and crests that most species 

 possess. These ornaments are very transient ; old birds in winter, and the young, are very 

 different from the adults in breeding attire. I'he eggs are more numerous than in other pygo- 

 podous birds, frequently numbering 6-8; ellii)tical, of a pale or wliitish color, unvariegated ; 

 c'dmmnnly covered with chalky substance. The nest is formed of matted vegetation, close to 

 the water, or even, it is said, lloatiug among aquatic plants ; the young swim directly. Grebes 

 are the only cosmopolitan birds of the order, being abundantly distributed over the lakes and 

 rivers of all parts of the world, though they are less maritime than the species of either of 

 the other families. There are not over twenty-five well determined sjjecies- 



Analysis of Genera. 



Bill slender or only moderately stout, paragnatlious, acute. Nostrils narrow or linear. Loral bare strip 



narrow. Frontal feathers normal. Tarsus generally but little, if any, shorter than the middle toe — at 



least three-fourths us long. Semipalmation of toes moderate. Lobe of hallux broad. Usually with 



consiiicMous crests or ruffs during the breeding season. 



Bill longer than head, e.xtremely slender and acute. Tarsus equal to the middle toe and claw. 



Crests and ruffs slight. Large ^chmophorus 334 



Bill not longer than head, moderately stout. Tarsus shorter than middle toe and claw. Crests 



and ruffs decided. Size over 10 inches Podicipes 335 



Bill much shorter than head, not two-thirds the tarsus, quite stout. Tarsus about three-fourths 

 the middle toe. Outer and middle toes equal. No decided crests or ruffs. Small; length 10 



inches or less Tachybaptes 



Bill stout, epignathous, obtuse. Nostrils broadly oval. Loral bare strip broad. Frontal feathers bristly. 

 Tarsus not three-fourths the middle toe. Semipalmation of toes extensive. Lobe of hallux moderate. 

 No decided crests or ruffs Podilymbus 336 



334. ^ECHMO'PHORUS. (Gr. alxfiri, aichme, a -spear; ^op6s, phorus, bearing.) Spear-bill 

 Grebes. Bill very long, exceeding the head, straight or slightly recurved, very slender and 

 acute; culmen straight or slightly concave; commissure about straight, or slightly sinuate 

 at base ; under outline concave at base, without protuberance at symphysis. Bare loral space 

 extremely narrow. Wings comparatively long, with much attenuated outer primaries. Legs 

 long ; tarsus not shorter than bill, as long as middle toe and claw ; basal webbing of toes 

 slight. Size large; neck very long; body slender. Crest and ruffs inconspicuous, not 

 specially colored in our species. One species, western, of which two varieties may usually 

 be recognized by the following characters : 



Analysis of Varieties. 



Large ; length (extreme) about 29.00 inches : wing about 8.00; bill and tarsus each about 3.00. 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, gonys thence straight to tip. Lores ashy-gray. 



occidentalis 846 

 Small: length about 22.00 inches; wing about 7.00; bill 2.25; tarsus 2.75. Bill shorter than tarsus, 

 slightly recurved, under outline almost regularly convex from base to tip, with barely appreciable angle. 

 Lores pure white clarki 846 



845. ^E. oceidenta'lis. (Lat. occidentalis, western.) Western Grebe. Bill obscurely oliva- 

 codiis, brighter along edges and at tip. Iris orange-red, pink or carmine, with a white rint;. 

 Hard parts of palate like bill ; soft parts purplish or lavender. Outer side and sole of foot 

 blackish, rest dull olivaceous, more yellowish on webs. Forehead and lores dark silvery-ash. 

 A short occipital crest and puffy cheeks, but neither bright-colored, agreeing with white and 

 dark ccdors of the respective parts. Top of head and line down back of neck sooty-blackish, 

 changing on upper parts into a lighter, more brownish black, the feathers of the back with 

 grayish margins. Primaries mostly dark chocolate-brown, with white bases, their shafts 

 white at base. Secondaries mostly white, but more or fewer of them dark on most or all 

 of the outer webs. Sides under the wings washed with a pale shade of the color of the back. 

 Lining of wings and whole under parts from the bill pure white, with satiny gloss. Length 

 24.00-29.00; extent 40.00 or thereabouts; wing about S.OO ; bill, tarsus, middle toe and 



