BIRDS — COLYMBIDAE — COLYMBUS PACIFICUS. 889 



Sh. Ch. — Adult. Head and hind neck bluish grey, darker on the front and sides of the head ; upper plumage glossy black, 

 tinged with green ; on the upper part of the back are two bands of transverse white bars, running longitudinally, formed by the 

 tips of the feathers ; the scapulars, with the exception of the outer, are similarly marked with transverse rows of large white 

 spots, quadrangular in form; wing coverts black, marked with round white spots near the end ; quill feathers blackish brown, 

 with the outer margin grey, and Daler on the inner webs; tail blackish brown; the fore port of the neck is purplish black for an 

 extent of ab lut six inches, terminating in an angle at the lower end ; the upper part of this dark marking is crossed by a narrow 

 band of white linear feathers; sides of the neck blackish brown, longitudinally streaked with linear white feathers, on the lower 

 part of the neck is a broad space similarly marked ; under plumage pure white, with the exception of a dusky longitudinal band 

 on the sides under the wings ; bill black ; iris deep bright red ; tarsi and feet greyish blue externally, pale flesh color on the 

 inside ; claws dusky, yellowish at the base. 



Length, about 28 inches ; wing, 12^; tail, 2|; bill, 2^; tarsus, 3 1-12; height of bill at base, |. 



The plumage of the young, according to Mr. Audubon, is as follows : 



" The bill is light bluish grey, dusky along the ridge ; the iris brown; the feet more dusky. The upper part of the head and 

 the hind neck are dark greyish brown ; the sides of the head dark greyish white, minutely streaked with brown. The upper 

 parts have a reticulated or scaly appearance, the feathers being brownish black, with broad bluish grey margins ; the rump dull 

 brownish grey. The primaries and their coverts are brownish black ; the secondaries and tail feathers dusky, margined with 

 grey. The fore part of the neck is greyish white, minutely and faintly dotted with brown, its sides below streaked with the 

 same ; the lower parts, including the under surface of the wing, pure white ; the sides of the body and rump, with part of the 

 lower-tail coverts, dusky, edged with bluish grey." 



Hab. — According to Audubon, " the young range throughout the interior and along the coast as far as Texas, in autumn and 

 winter ; Columbia river. Breeds in high latitudes." 



Specimens from Europe in the museum of the Phil. Academy. 



I have never been so fortunate as to meet with an American specimen of this bird. 



Mr. Audubon states that the young are quite abundant, but that in its adult state it is seldom 

 obtained within the limits of the United States. 



Richardson says, it is common on the shores of Hudson's Bay, but is rarely seen in the 

 interior. 



The locality of Columbia river, given by Audubon for this species, he states, was taken from 

 Townsend's list of birds observed on the Columbia river. This appears to be an error, as I 

 have examined his list given in the Proc. of the Phil. Acad. ; also the one in his narrative, but 

 do not find it enumerated. 



COLYMBUS PACIFICUS, Lawrence. 



• The Pacific Diver. 



Sp. Ch. — Young. Head above and hind part of neck dark bluiih grey; back, wing coverts, and scapulars blackish brown, 

 margined with greyish white, most conspicuous on the latter ; primaries black ; secondaries dark brown, with the ends of their 

 inner webs margined with white ; under lining of wings and axillars white; tail blackish brown, tipped with white; under plumage 

 white ; sides dark brown, the feathers with grey edgings ; a dusky band on the lower part of the abdomen, at the base of the 

 tail ; lower tail coverts white, with brownish ends ; the upper mandible is dark brown above, sides yellowish at the base for 

 half its length, bluish white at the end; under mandible, with the basal half, yellow, the remaining half bluish white; tarsi and 

 feet are externally reddish brown, (in the dried specimens,) yellowish internally ; claws yellow, with dusky margins. 



Length of one specimen, (No. 9924,) 25 inches ; wing, 11^ ; tail, 2 ; bill, 2J ; tarsus, 2|. 



No. 9921, measures in length, 24 inches ; wing, 10^ ; tail, 2 ; bill, 2 ; tarsus, 2^ ; outer toe, 3J. 



Hab. — Coast of California ; Puget's Sound. 



The two specimens in the collection are from the Pacific coast, and it is with some hesitation 



I have ventured to describe them as new. They are near allies, and may possibly be the young 



of " C. arcticus," but they appear much smaller, and do not differ materially in size from " G. 



septenirionalis ;' ' the bill is but little larger than that of the latter species, but is diflerently 



shaped, more of the form of that of " C. arcticus;" it is, however, comparatively slender. Upon 

 Sept. S3, 1858. 



112 b 



