PODICEPS CORNliTUS. 5 



PODICEPS CORNUTUS. 

 Horned Grebe. 

 Podiceps cornulus I.atii., Ind. Orn.; 1790. 

 DESCTvirilUN. 

 Si'. Cii. Size, -^iiiiill. Fnrra, slender. Ileiul, furnislied with elongated plumes, C(iU)n. Adult. Tliroat, crown, and 

 upper parts, black, heeomini; lirowni'-h on latter wliere the feathers are e.liicd with li!;:liter. Stripe from base of bill to 

 ocoiiiut through eye, front of neck, sides, and Hanks, yellowish-chestnut, mixed with dusky on latter, i'ateh on .seconda- 

 ries, white. Silky-white lieneatli. Iris, yellow, bill, black, and feet, greenish. In imnltr and Youni;. Ashy-brown above 

 and on sides. Sirky-white beneath but lacks the black and chestnut; otherwise as in the summer adult. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Known in adultstageby the red markings, and in j'oung, by tlie small size, slender bill, and white throat and front of 

 neck Distributed in summer throughout the N(U'lh- west and North, AVinters in tlie South. 



DIMENSIONS 

 -Average measurements of specimens. Length, 1425; stretch, •24'55; wing, 4().'); tail, r35; bill, '93; tar.sus, 1-75. 

 Longest specimen, IS'SiS; greatest e.\tent of wing, '25'10; longest wing, 0'75; tail, 1'45; bill, '95; tarsus, 1-85, Shortest 

 specimen, 13"25; smallest extent of wing, 24'15; shortest wing, 4'55, tail, IC'); bill, '90, tarsus, 170. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND KtiGS. 

 Nests, placed in marshes or on floating debris, composed of gras;,, weeds, etc. F(/i/s, four to six in number, elliptical 

 in form, yellowisli-white in cidor. Dimensions from l"15x 170 to l'2()x r7,">. 



IIAUirS. 



The pretty, little Horned Grebes are very common in the mouths of our New En^ihmd 

 rivers which empty into the sea, in autumn, when on their way south, but are rare here in 

 spring; yet in April, they are very abundant in the Susquehanna River, in Penusylv:inia, 

 when they are in full plumage. Like all nu'uibers of the Family, these Grebes possess the 

 power of diving with remarkable quickness, and can remain under water for a great length 

 of time, or will project the bill above the surface, the body remaining concealed. Accord- 

 ing to writers, they breed in the North-west and North, about the last week in June, nest- 

 ing like the succeeding species. 



GENUS II. PODILYMBUS. THE TIlICK-BILLEn GREBES. 

 Gen. Ch. Bill, stTony, much shorter than head, and curved at tip. Head, without crest. Members of this genus have 

 the wings very short. We have but one species within our limits. 



PODILYMBUS PODICEPS. 

 Pied-biUed Grebe. 



Podilymbus podiceps Law., B, N. A.; 1858,898. 

 DESCRIPTION. 

 Sp. Cii. Form, robust. Size, medium. Color. Adult. Upper parts, breast, and sides, brown , darkest on crown 

 and two latter where it is mixed with the silky-white of the lower .surface. Sides of head and neck in front, reddish-ash, 

 with a broad patch of black im throat. Secondaries, tipped with white. Iris, brown, feet and bill, greenish, the latter 

 crossed midway by a broad band ^f black. In winter and Yountj. Similar, but tipjied with reddish and lacks the black of 

 throat, which is rejilaced by white, and band on bill. Nestlings. Blackish above, marked with red on head and streaked 

 with white on neck and body. White beneath. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Recognized by the short, thick bill and brown breast. Distributed in summer Irom Pennsylvania, northward; winter- 

 ing in tne South. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Average measurements of specimens. Length, 1375; stretch, 2350; wing, 525; tail, 140; bill, -85; tar.sus, 1-49. 

 Longest specimen, 1450; greatest extent of wing, 2400; longest wing, 5-50; tail, TOO; bill, -95; tai-sus, l-j8. Shortest 

 specimen, 1300; smallest extent of wing, 2300; shortest wing, 500; tail, 150; bill, '75: tarsus, 1-42. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS 

 Nests, placed in marshes or on floating debris, composed of grass, weeds, etc. Eyys, four to six in numljer, elliptical 

 in form, yellowish-white in color. Dimensions from 1-15 x 165 to r25 x 1-85. 



HABITS. 



The Pied-biUed Grebe is one of the best known species of the genus, as it is remark- 



