THE WESTERN GREBE. 877 



No. 355. 



WESTERN GREBE. 



A. 0. U. Xo. 1. .-Echmophorus occidentalis iLawr. 1. 



Description. — .-Idiilt: 'J\i]j of head and broad line dmvn back of neck sooty 

 black : remaining npperparts lighter brownish black, the feathers of the back 

 varied by grayish edgings; primaries dark brown, whitening and with white shafts 

 basally ; secondaries chiefl\- white, but variable number of them darker on outer 

 webs: entire underparts. including lining of wings and sides of head and neck, 

 broadly, pure white with silkv sheen, sometimes tinged with brownish gray on 

 sides ; bill slender, sharply pointed, very sliglitly recurved, culmen black or 

 blackisli, mandible yellow or olivaceous; iris carmine: feet blackish and (jlivaceous. 

 Doivny young: Brownish gray above; white belovr. Females of this species have 

 been described as JR. clarki, on the ground of smaller dimensions, especially 

 shorter neck, and minnr differences of coloration. The case is a very puzzling 

 one. \\'e meet now and then during the migrations short-necked individuals that 

 would appear to belong to another race, but the center of distribution of such a 

 race is not known ; perfect gradations are found to exist, and the alleged dift'er- 

 ences between male and female (whether of occidrntalis or "clarki") do not 

 appear to hold good. Perhaps the best we can say is that the Western Grebe is 

 subject to considerable variation both as to dimensions and as to color of bill, 

 lores, etc., and that females average smaller. Length of adult male: 24.00-29.00 

 (609.6-736.6): wing 8.00 (203.2); bill about 3.00 (76.2): tarsus 3.00 (76.2). 

 Female ("clarki"): "22.00 (558.8) ; wing 7.00 (177.8) ; bill 2.30 (58.4) ; tarsus 

 2.75 (69.9 I." 



Recognition Marks. — Brant size; long slender neck; long sharp l)ill ; abrupt 

 demarcation of black and white on sides of head and neck: no rufous on neck; 

 aquatic habits. 



Nesting. — Xests in colonies. Xest: a floating raft or solid pyramid of rushes 

 and coarse water-plants, 2 to 3 feet in diameter, at edge of swamp or lake. Eggs: 

 4 or 5, elliptical ovate, chalky bluish white when fresh, but rapidly becoming 

 nest-stained, buffy or sickly green to ding\' brown. .\v. size, 2.40 x 1.55 ; 61 .\ 

 39.4). Season: first week in June; one brood. 



General Range. — Western United States and southern British Provinces, 

 east to Manitoba; south to Mexico and Lower California. 



Range in Washington. — Abundant winter resident and migrant; breeds 

 sparingly east of the Mountains. 



.Authorities. — [Lewis and Clark, Hist. Ex. ( 1814 ) Ed. Bifldle: Coues, Vol. 

 II. p. 190. J Podiccps occidentalis, Lawr., Lawrence, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 

 1858. p. 894. Cc-^S. L'. Rh. D'. Kb. Kk. B. E- 



Specimens.— (U. of W. ) P". Prov. BN. 



PROBABLY in no section of the country may the habits of this interest- 

 ing species be studied winter and summer to better advantage than in Wash- 

 ington. The lakes of southern Oregon afford them more extensive breeding 



