LARID^. 373 



The ^ub-Pamily, PODICIPIN^, or Grebes, 



have the bill loug, straight, compressed at the sides, with 

 the culm on slightly curved to the tip, which is acute and 

 entire ; the gonys ascending ; the nostrils pierced in a 

 groove, and oblong ; the wings short, with the first quill the 

 longest ; the tail not apparent ; the tarsi short, and much 

 compressed ; the toes long, the outer longer than the others ; 

 the anterior ones broadly lobed on the sides, especially on 

 the inner side ; the claws short, very broad, and obtuse. 



Genus PODICEPS, Latham. 

 Bill more or less long, strong, straight, the culmen slightly 

 curved at the tip, which is acute and entire ; the sides much 

 compressed, and the gonys short and advancing upwards to 

 an acute point ; the nostrils placed in a short groove, with 

 the opening longitudinal and exposed ; wings short and 

 pointed, with the first or sometimes the second quill the 

 longest, and slightly eraarginated at the tips ; tail short, not 

 apparent ; tarsi shorter than the middle toe, much com- 

 pressed, the anterior and posterior edges covered with small 

 scales, which are serrated posteriorly, and the sides with 

 transverse scales; toes long, the outer the longest, depressed, 

 margined on the sides, especially 071 the inner side, and 

 united at the base to the middle toe ; l^he hind toe short and 

 strongly lobed ; the claws short, very broad, flat, and obtuse. 



691. Podiceps Cristatus. (Linn.) Lath, pi 



Eu]., 400 ; Colymhus Cristatus, Linn. ; C. Cornutus, 

 Briss. ; C. Urinator, Linn. Ed. Birds, PI. 360, f. 2 ; 

 The Crested Grebe, Bewick's Brit. Birds, p. 146. 

 General colour above, greyish-black, tinged with rufous; 

 on the wing a large white patch ; under parts pure white ; 

 greyish on the breast and flanks ; head ornamented with a 

 double crest, and throat with a large rufi"; top of the head, 

 crest, back of neck, anterior and lower portion of neck-rufi', 

 shining-black, tinged here and there with rufous ; chin 

 white, changing into golden-yellow and rufous on the rufi"; 

 below the rufi" white, tinged with rufous ; tail spurious ; iris 

 red. Length, 20"; wing, 7^". 



The Crested Grebe is common on all our vleys. It breeds in 

 companies, six or eight nests generally appearing within a few yards of 

 each other ; these are built on the water — a mere flat form of sedge, 

 generally damp throughout ; indeed, I remarked that every egg taken by 

 us at Zoetendals VI ey was wet. This might have been caused, how- 



