

TACHYBAPTES DOMIN1CUS. 205 



the outer webs brownish or buff : beneath, neck and throat blackish brown, 

 shading into chestnut, barred with dusky on the lower breast and rest of under 

 surface. (Winter plumage.} Above not so dark: beneath, throat white, neck 

 dusky rufous ; rest of under surface shining whitish buff, becoming dusky 

 towards the vent. Whole length 11*8 inches, wing 5-4. 



Hab. Antarctic America, north to Cordova. 



Holland's Grebe is said by Durnford to be " common in almost every 

 pool and ditch " in Chupat. It is also common throughout Buenos 

 Ayres, where the native name for it is Macasito. 



Mr. Gibson gives the following details as to its nesting-habits : 

 " Podiceps rollandi nests during the latter half of September and 

 beginning of October. The nest is a slight construction of water- weeds, 

 floating on the surface of the water, and only kept stationary by the 

 surrounding rushes. Like P. major, it covers the eggs before leaving 

 them. Five is the largest clutch of eggs I have taken ; they are origi- 

 nally of a bluish- white colour, but after some time become covered with 

 a brown incrustation of a chalky nature. The average measurement is 

 Ifo x Ifo '> but there is a variation of J J in length and ^ - in breadth 

 between my largest and smallest specimens." 



Specimens of this Grebe were obtained near Cordova by White in 

 1882. 



422. TACHYBAPTES DOMINICUS (Linn.). 

 (AMERICAN DABCHICK,) 



Podiceps dominions, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 521 (Pampas) ; Baird, Brew., 

 et Ridgiv. Water-B. N. A. ii. p. 438. Tachybaptes dominions, Scl et Salv. 

 Nomencl p. 150 ; Durnford, Ibis, 1877, p. 203 (Buenos Ayres), et 1878, p. 405 

 (Centr. Patagonia) ; White, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 629 (Buenos Ayres) ; With- 

 inyton, Ibis, 1888, p. 473 (Lomas de Zamora). Sylbeocyclus dominions, 

 Scl. et Salv. Ex. Orn. p. 190. 



Description. Above dark brown, with blackish mottlings ; wings grey, inner 

 secondaries and under wing-coverts white : beneath pale whitish cinereous, chin 

 and throat pure white ; neck in front brownish ; bill plumbeous, at base yel- 

 lowish ; feet black : whole length 10*0 inches, wing 4*0, tail I'O. Female 

 similar, but not so bright. 



Hab. Central and South America. 



This representative of the well-known " Dabchick " of Europe is 

 found throughout South and Central America. In the Argentine 

 Republic, near Buenos Ayres, it is " resident and common in the 

 lagoons and arroycs " (Durnford, /. s. c.), and likewise in the Territory 

 of Chupat. 



