104 



COLYMBID^. 



are in an evident state of change, some of them being quite 

 as black and the spots on them as purely white and distinct 

 as in the summer-dress ; the rest of the feathers black 

 towards the base, margined with dullish-grey; the places 

 where the white spots either have been or will be, are dis- 

 tinctly marked ; the rump, tail-coverts, tail, and back of the 

 thighs are not so much in a state of change, being black 

 with small white spots as they are in the breeding-dress. 

 A specimen shot on the 19th of December was still more 

 advanced towards the nuptial garb about the head and throat. 



A young male, nearly full grown, killed in the winter, has 

 the beak of a brownish-white horn-colour ; irides reddish- 

 brown ; head, back of the neck, and all the upper surface of 

 the body greyish-black ; all the feathers on the back broadly 

 edged with ash-grey ; chin, neck in front, and all the under 

 surface of the body dull white ; outer surface of the legs 

 and toes dark greenish-brown ; edges and inner surface 

 lighter greenish-brown ; the whole length thirty-one inches ; 

 of the wing thirteen inches and a half. 



The nestling is covered with a stiff down, sooty-black on 

 the upper parts, paler on the throat, and greyish on the 

 abdomen. 



The figure below represents the form of the foot in this 

 genus of birds. 



