4 RED-NECKED GREBE. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 Nests placet! on the ground near water, composed of grass, weeds, etc. Ej/(/s, two or three in number, pointed oval 

 in form, deep greeni.-^li-l)rown in color, spotted and blotched with very dark-brown. Dimensions from 1 "90 x 2-90 to S'OU 



x3 00. 



IIABirS. 



From reading Audubon's account of the Black-throated Loon, one would expect it to 



occur, at least, occasionally on our coast, but according to my experience, such is not a fact 



at present, for although I have examined hundreds of Loons in the flesh and in collections, 



and seen thous.nnds living, I have yet to met witii a single specimen taken on our coast, 



and it is with some hesitation that I admit it among our bird.s. It may, however, reach 



our western borders from the Arctic region, where it is not at all rare. 



FAMLY IL PODICIPID^. THE GREBES. 



Bill, equal in length to head or shorter, and pointed. Legs and feet, lung, ivith toes 

 lubed. 



Members of this family have the neck rather short. The legs are placed far back in 

 the body, so that the birds cannot stand in a perpendicular position with ease. Tail, rudi- 

 mentary. Sternum, short and wide, with four margiaial indentations. The young are cov- 

 ered with down at birth and enter the water as soon as hatched. 



GENUS I, PODIOEPS. TUE CRESTl'D GREBES. 

 Gen. Cii. Bill, rather strong and usually shorter than head and not curved at tip. Head, ornamented with tufts and 

 crests. Members of this genus are remarkal)le on account of the elongated feathers on head which are, however, only 

 worn during the breeding season. There are three species within our limits. 



PODIOEPS GRIGEIGENA. 

 Ked-necked Grebe. 



Ptidiceps (jrisciijena Gray, Gen. ; 1855. 

 DESCRIPTION. 

 Sp. Cn. Form, robust. Size, large. Color.. Adult. Above, black, glossed with greenish, with feathers of liaek 

 edged with whitish and becoming brown on wing coverts and primaries. Secondaries, white tipped with brown. Neck, 

 excepting above, deep brownish-red extending interruptedly on to bre.ist, with a broad patch of silvery-ash (m throat that 

 extends up on sides of head and is edged with lighter. Beneath, silky-white, each feather having central line and termi- 

 nal sjjot of dusky. Iris, red; hill, black and feet, greenish. Younij, Dark-brown aliove, with the feathers slightly edged 

 with whitish. Edge of wing and patch on secondaries, white. Silky-white beneath, with neck all around tinged with 

 ashy and reddish. Iris, yellow; bill, brown, yellow at base. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Known by the large size and reddish neck. Occurs in summer tliroughout the Arctic Regions, wintering as far south 

 as Pennsylvania. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Average measurements of spechnens. Length, 19-62; stretch, 3r5U; wing. 7-00; tail, 1-56; bill, 2-00; tarsus, 2-53. Long- 

 est specimen, 20-25; greatest extent of wing, 32-25; longest wing, 7-611; tail, 1-65; bill, -210; tarsus, 2-4i). Shortest sj)eci- 

 men, 19-00; smallest extent of wing, 29-95; shortest wing, C'lO; tail, 1-55; bill, I -90; tarsus, 230. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 Nests, placed on the ground in marshy places, composed of grass, weeds, etc. E(jys, eight to ten in number, o\al in 

 form, yellowish-white in color, covered with a white calcareous deposit. Dimensions from 1-35x200 to 1-40x2-10. 



HABITS. 



The large Red-necked Grebes are found in autumn and winter, on the salt, land- 

 locked waters of the coast of the New Engl.uid and Middle States, and I have even seen 

 them far out at sea, but they prefer the mouths of rivers. They are common as far south 

 as Pennsylvania but occur to the Carolinas. These Grebes resemble the following species 

 in general haliils but breed in tlie Arctic Regions. 



