BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 5 



Old town, San Diego. Although the eggs have often been 

 found on the Pacific coast, none have ever come to my notice 

 here. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Upper part of head and nape of neck, fuliginous black; back 

 and wing-coverts grayish-black, the feathers margined with 

 gray; primaries light, ashy-brown, darker at the end and 

 white at the base; secondaries white, marked with ash on the 

 outer webs (occasionally white); space between the bill and 

 eye gray; throat, sides of neck, and entire under plumage, 

 silver-w^hite; sides marked with grayish-black; bill dusky, or 

 nearly black, except the cutting edges and end, which are 

 yellow; iris orange; tarsi and feet grayish- black externally, 

 flesh color, internally. 



Length, 28; wing, 8; bill, 3; tarsus, 3. 



Habitat, Western North America, eastward to Manitoba. 



COLYMBIS HOLBCELLII (Reinhart). (2.) 



RED- NECKED GREBE. 



It is my pleasure to say that I am indebted to Mr. J. N. San- 

 ford, of Elbow Lake, in Grant county, for my first knowledge 

 of the presence of this species of the Grebe family in the state, 

 and accompanying the information so much esteemed, he sent 

 through me to the Minnesota Academy of Natural Sciences 

 four eggs in prime condition for preservation, which he had 

 obtained in his vicinity in July, 1880. These eggs measured 

 1.95 by 1.23: 2.00 by 1.25: 1.85 by 1.15 and 1.90 by 1.20. The 

 color when so fresh was a rather pale, greenish-white and was 

 uniform. The nest was described as being near to the water, 

 and consisting of coarse, rank marsh weeds, placed on a bunch 

 of the same materials in a marshy locality. He has been a 

 close observer of the water birds especially, and has contributed 

 some interesting and valuable facts respecting the breeding 

 habits of several species found in his section. Since those 

 days my opportunities for learning more of the local habits of 

 the species have been good. Without being abundant any- 

 where in Minnesota, it is nevertheless not to be accounted rare, 

 for its species in the sparsely settled districts characterized by 

 wet, pondy prairies. I have found it in my own county at such 

 times as to make it reasonably certain that it breeds in such 

 localities as are largely secluded, and embracing ponds and 

 small lakes bordered by reedy marshes. I find individuals of 

 this species in Fillmore, Carver, Otter Tail and Grant counties, 



