THE, WESTERN GREBE. 857 
No. 355. 
WESTERN GREBE. 
A. O. U. No. 1. AEchmophorus occidentalis (Lawr.). 
Description.—Adult: Top of head and broad line down back of neck sooty 
black; remaining upperparts lighter brownish black, the feathers of the back 
varied by grayish edgings ; primaries dark brown, whitening and with white shafts 
basally ; secondaries chiefly white, but variable number of them darker on outer 
webs; entire underparts, including lining of wings and sides of head and neck, 
broadly, pure white with silky sheen, sometimes tinged with brownish gray on 
sides; bill slender, sharply pointed, very slightly recurved, culmen black or 
blackish, mandible yellow or olivaceous; iris carmine ; feet blackish and olivaceous. 
Downy young: Brownish gray above; white below. Females of this species have 
been described as 4. clarki, on the ground of smaller dimensions, especially 
shorter neck, and minor differences of coloration. The case is a very puzzling 
one. We meet now and then during the migrations short-necked individuals that 
would appear to belong to another race, but the center of distribution of such a 
race is not known; perfect gradations are found to exist, and the alleged differ- 
ences between male and female (whether ot occidentalis or “clarki’) do not 
appear to hold good. Perhaps the best we can say is that the Westeri Grebe is 
subject to considerable variation both as to dimensions and as to color of bill, 
lores, ete., and that females average smaller. Length of adult male: 24.00-26.00 
(609.6-736.6) ; wing 8.00 (203.2); bill about 3.00 (76.2); tarsus 3.00 (76.2). 
Female (“clarkr’): “22.00 (558.8) ; wing 7.00 (177.8) ; bill 2.30 (58.4) ; tarsus 
2.75 (69.9).” 
Recognition Marks.—Brant size; long slender neck; long sharp bill; abrupt 
demarcation of black and white on sides of head and neck; no rufous on neck; 
aquatic habits. 
Nesting.—Nests in colonies. Nest: a floating raft or solid pyramid of rushes 
and coarse water-plants, 2 to 3 feet in diameter, at edge of swamp or lake. Eggs: 
4 or 5, elliptical ovate, chalky bluish white when fresh, but rapidly becoming 
nest-stained, buffy or sickly green to dingy brown. Av. size, 2.40x1.55 (61 x 
39.4). Season: first week in June; one brood. 
General Range.—Western United States and southern British Provinces, 
east to Manitoba; south to Mexico and Lower California. 
Range in Washington.—Abundant winter resident and migrant; breeds 
sparingly east of the Mountains. 
Authorities.—[Lewis and Clark, Hist. Ex. (1814) Ed. Biddle: Coues, Vol. 
II. p. 190.) Podiceps occidentalis, Lawr., Lawrence, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 
LOSO mp OO4e Goose. Rhy Ds Kiba Kike Bei, 
Specimens.—(U. of W.) P'. Prov. BN. 
PROBABLY in no section of the country may the habits of this interest- 
ing species be studied winter and summer to better advantage than in Wash- 
ington. The lakes of southern Oregon afford them more extensive breeding 
