226 PROCEEDINGS OP /hE ACADEMY OF 



the middle of the wings a common white band, commencing on the costa of 

 primaries, with a large spot cut into three by the nervures, followed by a sec- 

 ond, oval, separated from the first by a wide space, and out of the line in the di- 

 rection of the inner angle ; after this the band is uninterrupted except by the 

 nervures, and diminishes to a point a littleg within the abdominal margin, 

 on the arc of primaries a narrow, transverse, ferruginous band, and another 

 in the cell, each edged on either side by a black wavy line ; a similar line 

 mid-way between these bands; the cell and costa next base have a dull 

 green tinge; at anal angle a black spot within a fulvous lunule ; fringe brown, 

 white in the emarginations. 



Under side pale brown, with a bronze lustre on secondaries; primaries have 

 a broad hind margin, crenated.next the inner angle, with a faint, pale blue line 

 running through it and edged anteriorly by a narrow, pale blue band ; the yel- 

 low spot as above, but paler; below this and between the marginal and white 

 bands, smoky black ; the white band as above but a little enlarged ; the bars 

 in the cell larger and fulvous ; inner margin next base greyish ; hind margin 

 of secondaries narrower than that of primaries, wholly crenated, with a pale 

 blue line running through it and bordered anteriorly by a broad, palo blue band; 

 the white band is edged without, and near its point suffused with light pur- 

 ple ; inside the band to the base, are alternate, irregular, transverse bands of 

 purple and lustrous yellow brown ; abdominal margin pale bliue ; the nervures 

 much bordered by purple or blue scales ; body above olive brown; beneath, 

 bluish white; antenna and club dark brown. 



Female scarcely differs from the male. 



California, from Dr. H. Behr. 



/7^ ^^1 4 y' ' Synopsis of the North American Forms of the COLrMBIDwE and 



PODICIPID^. 



-h ^ ^ BY ELLIOTT COUES.* 



Family COLYMBID^. 



Cliar. Feathers of forehead reaching to the nostrils. Nostrils narrow and 

 linear ; their upper edge with a dependent lobe. Lores densely feathered. 

 Tertials short and stiff. Tail fully developed. Tarsiis and toes covered with 

 small, regular, polygonal, reticulated plates. Tibiae feathered on the joint. 

 Toes fully webbed. Claws strong, narrow, oblong, very convex superiorly. 

 Posterior edge of tarsus smooth, formed by a single row of very convex over- 

 lapping scales. Lobe of liind toe moderate. Size large ; general form stout 

 and strong ; body robust ; neck short and thick, without crests or ruffs ; the 

 back spotted. 



Genus Colymbus Linnfeus. 

 Colymhus, Linn. 1735, et auct. nee lU. 1811 ; nee Pallas, 1811 ; necBriss. 1764. 

 'tCepphus, Mo3hring, 1752, secundum G. R. Gray. 

 Cej/phus, Pallas, 1811, partim. 

 Mergus, Brisson, 1764, fide G. R. Gray ; nee aact. 



*^ The great accession of new material in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution 

 has furnished the means of making some additions and corrections to the last account of 

 the Loons and Grebes of North America — that by Mr. Lawrence in the General Report. 

 The writer having lately been occupied, in connection wilh Dr. Geo. Suckley, U. S. A., 

 in the preparation of a Government Report, took the opportunity to institute a thorough 

 revision of the tvv'O families. The results of that investigation will be found in full in 

 the Report alluded to; but as it may be some time before its publication, it has been 

 thought advisable to issue in advance this brief synopsis. Parlicular attention has been 

 paid to tlie characters of the families and subfamilies, and to the arrangement of the 

 species under their appropriate genera. 



[April, 



