THE BIRDS OF HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN" REPUBLIC 59 



In Abbott's specimens the iris is noted as yellow, or brownish 

 yellow. 



Descourtilz informs us that the breast feathers are used to make 

 a valuable ornament but considered the bird rather rare as he took 

 it only once. Bartsch saw it on the fitang Saumatre near Glore 

 on April 3, 1917, and on Trou Caiman, April 4. Beebe, on March 2, 



1927, reports six on the fitang Miragoane. 



The birds should be found in the fresh- water lagoons through the 

 coastal plain. It is probable that the Chervain record given above 

 refers to what is now the Republic of Haiti, since the French in the 

 main occupied the western part of the island. 



In color this grebe is grayish brown above, grayer on the head; 

 throat dull black ; f oreneck brownish ; underparts white ; feet broadly 

 lobed, projecting far back on the body; tail apparently absent; length 

 225 to 275 mm., wing 75 to 85 mm. In the immature bird the throat 

 is whitish. This species is distinguished from the Antillean grebe, 

 the only other species of its family in this region, by slender bill and 

 by smaller size. 



PODILYMBUS PODICEPS ANTILLARUM Bangs 



ANTILLEAN GREBE, ZUMBULLIDOR, ZARAMAGULLON, PLONGEON, GRAND 



PLONGEON 



Podilymbus podiceps antillarum Bangs, Proc. New England Zool. Club, vol. 

 4, March 31, 1913, p. 89 (Bueycito, Province of Oriente, Cuba). — Peters, Bull. 

 Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. 61, 1917, p. 396 (Laguna Flaca near Cabrera). — Bond, 

 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 80, 1928, p. 489 (Etang Miragoane, 

 Artibonite River). — Danforth, Auk, 1929, p. 359 (Laguna del Salodillo, Santo 

 Domingo City, Haina, Artibonite River). — Lonnbebg, Fauna och Flora, 1929, 

 p. 100 (Haiti).— Moltoni, Att. Soc. Jtal. Scienz. Nat., vol. 68, 1929, p. 307 

 (Rfo Haina). 



Grebe, Beebe, Zool. Soc. Bull., vol. 30, 1927, p. 138; Beneath Tropic Seas, 



1928, p. 217 (Etang Miragoane). 



Plongeon, Descourtilz, Voy. Nat., vol. 2, 1809, p. 264 (Riviere Estere). 



Podiceps dominicensis, Rittes, Naturh. Reis. Westind. Insel Hayti, 1836, 

 p. 157 (specimen). 



Podilymbus podiceps, Cherrie, Field Columbian Mus., Ornith. ser., vol. 1, 

 March, 1896, p. 26 (Ozama River, specimen). — Verrill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 

 Philadelphia, 1909, p. 355 (Rio Camu, near La Vega, rare). — Bartsch, Proc. 

 Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 30, July 27, 1927, p. 132 (Haiti). 



Eesident; common in lagoons and sluggish streams where there 

 is proper cover. 



The Antillean grebe, the West Indian form of the pied-billed grebe 

 frequents ponds, lakes, and sluggish streams where there is cover 

 of rushes to which it may retreat when danger threatens. It feeds 

 frequently in open waters, securing its prey of small fishes, crusta- 

 ceans and aquatic insects by diving. It seldom uses its shortened 

 wings but depends upon submerging to avoid its enemies, an art 



