PUDICIPEDID.E: GREBES. 1053 



part (reverse of the case in Loons) ; absence from top of skull of pits for supraorbital glands ; 

 and freedom of lacrymal bone. There is a long cnemial apophysis of the tibia, reaching 

 high above knee-joint, as in Loons, but this is backed by a patella of about equal altitude 

 (tig. 712). The gizzard has a special pyloric sac; there are coeca and a tufted oil-gland. 

 Grebes are among the most thoroughly or exclusively aquatic of all birds, preferring always to 

 swim unless forced to fly ; they are extremely expert divers, and have the curious habit of sink- 

 ing back quietly into the water when alarmed, like Anhingas and Loons, their ability to alter 

 the specific gravity of their bodies being unsurpassed if not unequalled. The mechanism of the 

 feet is such, that Grebes "feather their oars" automatically in bringing them forward; and 

 Ikjw fast they can row under water with tliese admirable implcTnents will be appreciated by 

 one who tries to shoot a bird (-f this lund, and observes how quickly, after diving like a Hash, 

 it reappears afar. A Grebe held in the hand, moreover, can work its flippers so fast that the 

 eye cannot follow the movement, and only perceives a film like that of a humming-bird's 

 wings. The wings sometimes serve as fore legs to assist a Grebe's awkward scrambling on 

 hind. Owing to the apparent absence of any tail, the general aspect is singular, rendered still 

 nujre so by the grotesque ];)arti-colored ruffs and crests that most members of the Podicipedidce 

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

 ent from adults in breeding attire, and young birds frequently have the head curiously striped. 

 The eggs are more numerous than in other pygopodous birds, frequently numbering 6-8 ; 

 elliptical, of a pale or whitish unvariegated color, and commonly covered with chalky sub- 

 stance. The nest is formed of matted vegetation, close to the water, or floating among aquatic 

 plants; it is a wet bed in whicli th<' eggs are laid, and from which the young swim directly, 

 (irebes are the only cosmopolitan birds of the order Fijgopodes, being abundantly distributed 

 over lakes and rivers of all parts of the world ; but they are less maritime than the species of 

 eitlier of the other families, and only found on salt water when away from their native water- 

 soaked vegetation. There are not over 2") well-determined species, of few genera, the best- 

 marked (jf which are the four following : 



Analysis of Genera. 



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

 Frontal feathers normal. Tarsus little if any shorter than middle toe — at least J as long. Seraipalmation of toes 

 moderate. Lobe of hallux broad. Usually with conspicuous crests or ruffs during the breeding season. 

 Bill longer than head, extremely slender and acute. Tarsus equal to middle toe and claw. Crests and ruffs 



slight. Secondaries short. Large : Length over 'JO.OO JEchmophorus 



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

 cided. Medium : Length under 20.00, over 10.00 Cohjmbiis 



Bill much shorter than head, not g the tarsus, quite stout. Tarsus about J the middle toe. Outer and middle 



toes equal. No decided crests or ruffs. Small : Length 10.00 or less (Subgenus) I'odicipes 



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

 not .^ the middle toe. Semipalmation of toes exten^ive. Lobe of hallux moderate. No decided crests or ruffs 



I'otlih/mbtis 



yT3t'lIMOI*irOIHJS. (Gr. alxiJ-r], aichiiie, a spear; (j)op6s, phoios, bearing.) Spk.vk-iull 

 ( Irkhe.s. Bill very long, exceeding liead, straight or slightly recurved, very slemler and acute ; 

 cnlmen straight or slightly concave ; commissure about straight, or slightly sinuate at base; 

 luider outline concave at base, without protuberance at symphysis. Hare loral space extremely 

 narrow. Wings comparatively long, with much attenuated outer jirimaries, and scanty sec- 

 ondaries. Legs long ; tarsus not shorter than bill, as long as middle toe and claw; basal web- 

 bing of toes slight. Size large ; neck very long; body slender. Crest and ruffs inconspicuous, 

 not specially colored in our species (gray and chestnut in the South American -('Tv major) ; no 

 great ditferenco between summer and winter plumages. One species, western; from which 

 tlie hypothetical "f.7'n7.j" maybe recognized by liic following' characters, perhaps only dis- 

 tinctive of sex : 



