280 ZOOLOGY. 



speckled minutely with gray ; under plumage silky white, crossed on the lower part of the abdomen by a dusky band ; bill 

 bluish £;ray, dusky on the ridge, and flesh colored at the base. Length, 20 inches ; extent, 30 ; iris blood red. 



jj^l During the winter as far south as Maryland ; iuliibits as far north as the Arctic seas ; found also on the Pacific 



coast. 



On the 20th of March, 1855, I obtained at Fort Dalles, Oregon, an immature bird, which 

 seemed to be of this species. Another was procured by Mr. Gibbs at Port Townsend, Puget 



Sound. 



From the joint observations of Dr. Cooper and myself, it seems probable that the different 

 species of loons, as well as the grebes, are several years in acquiring their perfect adult 

 plumage. 



Another individual which I obtained at New Dungeness, Straits of Fuca, I had an excellent 

 opportunity of examining at a time it was attempting to escape from a shallow lagoon to the 

 open water of the straits by swimming through the narrow outlet. Although slightly wounded, 

 it moved so rapidly that I was obliged to run as fast as I could to keep up with it. At the 

 same time, as the water \vas clear and shallow, I was able to watch its motions distinctly. It 

 had the head and neck extended nearly perfectly straight, the bill acting as a " cut- water," 

 and, in addition to the ordinary propulsion by the feet, used the wings exactly as if flying. 

 Indeed the bird was flying through water instead of air. This habit is probably common to 

 all the ColymhiJcc. — S. 



Sub Family PODICIPINAE.— T he Grebes. 



PODICEPS CRISTATUS, (Linn.) Latli. 



Crested Grebe. 



Colymhus crislatus, Linn. Syst, Nat. I 1766, 222. 



Podiceps cristatux, Lath. Ind. Orn. 1790.— Ricn. & Sw. F. B. A. II, 1831, 410.— Nutt. Man. II, 1834, 250.— Aro. 



Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 595 ; pi. 292.— Ib. Birds Am. VII, 1844, 308 ; pi. cccclxxix.— Baidd & 



Lawrence, Gen. Eep. Birds, p. 893, var. 9 cooperi, 894. 



gp^ (jjj, Aiult : Front, upper part of the head, and long occipital tufts dark umber brown, the base of the tufts b-ownish 



red" the ruif is bright brownish red on the upper portion immediately under the tufts and anteriorly, on the hind part 

 brownish black ; upper plumage dark umber brown ; humeral feathers white ; primaries umber brown ; secondaries mostly 

 white • throat and sides of the head white ; fore part and sides of the neck adjoining the ruff brownish red ; under plumage 

 silvery white ; sides dusky, tinged with reddish brown ; bill blackish brown, tinged with carmine ; bare loral space dusky 

 green ; iris bright carmine ; tarsi and feet greenish black externally, greenish yellow internally ; webs grayish blue. 



Length, 19 to 20 50 inches ; extent, 33 to 3t ; wing, 7i| ; bill, 2J-,j ; tarsus, 2 J. Female smallest. 



Tounq: Upper part of the head dark brown ; hind neck brownish gray ; back and wings brownish black ; humeral feathers 

 white ■ primaries dark umber brown on the outer webs, paler on the inner ; lower parts silvery white, sides brown ; upper 

 mandible brownish black, pale at the end and yellow on the sides at the base ; lower mandible yellow, with the sides dusky; 

 feet black, greenish yellow on inner side ; iris brown. 



^^jj Atlantic States from Nova Scotia southward ; Texas in winter; fur countries, Pacific side of the continent ; Wash- 

 ington Territory. 



In the notes on P. occidentalis I have noticed all I remarked of this species. On the only 

 occasion when I saw them they were with the others, which they so closely resembled in 

 appearance that at a distance they were scarcely distinguishable. I could see also no difference 

 in their cries or habits at that season, and never saw them at any other time or place. Al- 

 thouo-h killed late in March, both species were in the immature plumage, as were the many 

 specimens of the three species I obtained in the Territory at almost all seasons, except summer, 

 when they all disappear. — C. 



