336 PODICIPIDH, GREBES.—GEN. 312-4. 
312-4. Genus PODICEPS Latham. 
* Large, with very long neck; bill very slender and sharp-pointed, longer than 
the head, straight or almost recurved; tarsus as long as the middle toe and claw. 
No colored ruffs at any season? (d#chmophorus.) 
Western Grebe. Length about 30; extent 36; wing 8-9; bill and tarsus, 
each about 3. Above, blackish-gray, with paler edges of the feathers, 
blackening on the hind neck and top of the 
head, the loral region gray; quills ashy- 
brown, bases of the primaries and most of 
¥ the secondaries white; below, from bill to 
tail, pure silky white, with dark touches 
on the sides; bill obscurely olivaceous, 
brighter along the edges and at tip. Adult 
FIG. 214. Western Grebe. in the breeding season with a short occipital 
crest, and slight indications of a ruff; but no brightly colored feathers on the 
head or neck as yet observed. Pacific Coast, U.S., abundant. P. occidentalis 
Lawre. in Bp., 894 ; _chmophorus occidentalis Couns, 1.¢. 229. OCCIDENTALIS. 
Var. cLarku. Similar; loral region white; bill bright yellow, the ridge black, 
shorter, slenderer, extremely acute and almost recurved ; smaller; length 2 feet or 
less; wing 7; tarsus 22; bill 23. Same habitat. Lawr. in Bp., 895; Cougs, 
l.c. 229 and 404. *,* The foregoing species has been united with the ordinary 
bird of Central and South America (P. major, cayennensis, bicornis and leucopterus) 
by Dr. Schlegel. This seems premature, but it may be required if occidentalis 
proves to assume the red neck and other coloration of major. 
** Medium, with moderately long neck; bill not longer than the head, shorter 
than the tarsus, moderately stout and acute; tarsus shorter than the middle toe 
and claw. Conspicuous crests, ruffs or tufts, in the breeding season. (Podiceps.) 
Crested Grebe. Tarsus equal to the middle toe without its claw; bill 
equal to the head, about 4 the tarsus; crests and ruff highly developed. 
About 24; extent 34; wing 74-84 ; bill 2-24; tarsus 24-23. Adult: throat 
and sides of head white changing to brownish-red on the ruff, which is tipped 
with black; fore part and sides of neck like the ruff; top of head and long 
occipital tufts dark brown, as are the upper parts generally, the feathers of 
the back pale-edged; primaries brown, part of them and nearly all the 
secondaries white; under parts silky silvery white, without dark mottling, 
but the sides dark-marked. Young: without any lengthened colored feathers 
on the head or neck. N. Am. at large; U.S. in winter, but not nearly so 
common as the next species. Sw. and Ricu., F. B.-A, ii, 419; Nurr., ui, 
250; AUD., vii, 308, pl. 479; Lawr. in Bd., 893. P. coopert Ib., ibid. ; 
Cougs, Proc. Phila. Acad. 1862, 230. ?P. affinis Satvaport; EL.ior, 
Introd. No. 98, with figure of head. . . . . . . . «| ORISTATUS. 
Red-necked Grebe. Tarsus about * the middle toe and claw; bill little 
shorter than tarsus; crests and ruff moderately developed. Medium; length 
about 18; wing 7-8; bill 13, to nearly 2; tarsus 2; middle toe and claw 2%. 
Adult: front and sides of the neck rich brownish-red ; throat and sides of 
