PODICIPIDH, GREBES.—GEN. 312-4. 337 
head ashy, whitening where it joins the dark color of the crown, the feathers 
slightly ruffed; top of head with its slight occipital crests, upper parts 
generally, and wings, as in the last species, but much less white on the inner 
quills; lower parts pale silvery-ash, with dark sides (not pure white, but 
watered or obscurely mottled, sometimes obviously speckled, with dusky) ; 
bill black, more or less yellow at base. The young will be recognized by 
these last characters, joined with the peculiar dimensions and proportions. 
N. Am.; common in the U. S. in winter. P. rubricollis Sw. and Ricu., F. 
B.-A. ii, 411; Nurv., ii, 253; Aup., vii, 312, pl. 480; P. griseigena Lawr. 
in Bp., 892; P. holbilli Retnnarpr; Cours, /. c. 231. Our bird appears 
to differ constantly from the European in being larger, with the bill dispro- 
portionately large, and differently colored. . GRISEIGENA var. HOLBOLLII. 
Horned Grebe. Tarsus about equal to the middle toe without its claw; 
bill much shorter than head, little more than half the tarsus, compressed, 
higher than wide at the nostrils, rather obtuse ; crests and ruffs highly devel- 
oped. Small; length about 14; extent 24; wing 6 or less; bill about 2; 
tarsus 14. Adult: above, dark brown, the feathers paler-edged; below, 
silvery-white, the sides mixed dusky and reddish; most of the secondaries 
white ; fore neck and upper breast brownish-red ; head glossy black, including 
the ruff; a broad band over the eye, to and including the occipital crests, 
brownish-yellow ; bill black, yellow-tipped. The young differ as in other 
species, but are always recognizable by the above measurements and propor- 
tions of parts. N. Am., abundant. Sw. and Ricua., F. B.-A. ii, 411; Nurr., 
254; AUD., vii, 316, pl. 481; Lawr.in Bp., 895. . . . . CORNUTUS. 
Eared Grebe. Proportions substantially the same as in the last species ; 
size rather less; bill shorter and more acute, depressed, wider than high at 
the nostrils. Adult: above, blackish-brown, the feathers with scarcely or 
not paler edges; below silky-white, reddish along the sides ; all the prima- 
ries chocolate-brown, most of the secondaries white; head and neck all 
round black, the auriculars lengthened into a rich golden-brown tuft, but no 
obvious crests or ruff. Young: known from the last by the different shape of 
the bill. Arctic America, chiefly western; common in the Pacific States in 
winter; has not been observed in the Atlantic States. P. auritus Nurt., 
li, 256; Aup., vii, 322, pl. 482; P. californicus HeERMANN, Proc. Phila. 
Acad. 1855, 179, and Pac. R. R. Rept. x, Cala. Route, pl. 8 (young) ; 
Lawr. in Bp., 896; Cours, J. c. 231. All the American specimens I have 
seen, differ from the European ones examined, in having less white on 
thejwines- 9. 5... . |. « .« = - AURITUS var. CALIFORNICUS. 
*** Very small; bill much shorter than the head, 2 or less of the tarsus; 
tarsus about 2 the middle toe and claw. No colored crests or ruffs. (Sylbeocyclus.) 
St. Domingo Grebe. Adult: top of head deep glossy steel-blue; rest of 
head and neck ashy-gray, deepest behind, the, throat with whitish ; upper 
parts brownish-black, with greenish gloss; primaries chocolate-brown, 
a great part of most of them, and all the secondaries, pure white; under 
parts silky-white thickly mottled with dusky. Length 93; wing 33; bill §; 
KEY TO N. A. BIRDS. 43 
