P0DICIPEDIDJ2: GREBES. 1057 



cornutus of later editions, 1884-90, p. 795. It is unfortunate that the name atiritMs, which 

 means " eared," must be taken away from the species called Eared Grebe in English, and given 

 to another called Horned Grebe in English, instead of using cornutus for the latter; but this is 

 one of the many awkwardnesses of nomenclature from which there is no escape under the 

 A. 0. U. Code. 



C. (I>.) nigricol'lis califor'nicus. (Lat. nigricollis, black-necked ; nicjer, black, collum, 

 neck. Lat. californiciis, Californian.) American Eared Grebe. Californian Black- 

 necked Grebe. Adult ^ 9 j breeding plumage : Bill shorter than head, much depressed 

 at base, broader than higli at nostrils ; tip acute, not decurved ; gonys straiglit, ascending ; 

 culinen nearly straight. Tarsus about equal to middle toe without claw. Bill entirely black ; 

 feet dull olivaceous, blackish outside and on soles; eyes scarlet; eyelids orange. Conspicuous 

 long auricular tufts, golden-brown or tawny, finely displayed fan-shaped upon a black gi'ound. 

 Crown, chin, and neck all round, black. Primaries entirely chocolate-brown, with usually a 

 wash of dull reddisli-brown externally ; secondaries M'hite, but bases of all. and a considerable 



Fig. 714. — Horiifcl (iiclM-, VV inter I'himage. (L. A Kiicrte.s.j 



part of two outer ones, dusky ; their shafts mostly all dusky. Rides deep purplish-brown or 

 wine-red ; this color washed across breast, behind black of neck, and across anal region. 

 Under parts silky-white, the abdomen grayish. Adults in winter lack the ear-tufts and black 

 neck, but are otherwise not very different : Crown, neck narrowly behind, and upper parts, 

 blackish, or grayi.sh-black ; chin, throat, and sides of nape, white; place of the ear-coverts 

 and fore neck dull whitish ; sides and flanks more or less overlaid with slate-color. Young : 

 Bill shaped generally as in the adult, but smaller, with less firm outlines, so that its distinctive 

 shaj)e is somewhat obscured ; but notice the wide base, straight culmen, and ascending gonys 

 of the present species. Little or no trace of auricular tufts. Crown, sides of head, and neck 

 all around, sooty -grayish, paler and more ashy on fore neck. Upper parts rather lighter and 

 duller colored than in adults. Primaries as in adults, but witlumt reddish tinge ; a few of the 

 innermost .sometimes white-tipped. Sides under wings washed with a lighter shade of cidor 

 of back ; lower belly grayish. Length 12.00-14.00, usually I.'J.OO or less ; extent 21.50-24.00 ; 

 wing 4.75-5.25 ; culmen 1.00 or less; gape 1.25; height of bill at nostril 0.22, width there 

 0.2(5; tarsus l.GO; middle toe and claw 1.95. While the breeding plumages of the Horned 

 and Eare<l Grebes are widely different, tliere is much sinnlarity between the young and winter 

 dress of the two species. As a rule, this one is smaller; wing under 5.;i0, that of tlie ntlier 



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