PODICEPS.] AVES NATATORES 251 



DESCRIPT. (Adult male.) A large patch on each side of the base of 

 the bill enclosing the eyes, and another longitudinal one on the occiput, 

 black glossed with green ; rest of the head, occipital crest, neck, some of 

 the lesser wing-coverts, and all the under parts, pure white : two crescent- 

 shaped fasciae advancing forwards from the shoulders on each side, and 

 partly encircling, one the lower part of the neck, the other the upper part 

 of the breast, black ; back, lesser coverts bordering the wing, and primary 

 quills, black; scapulars white, edged on the outer webs with black; 

 secondary quills and greater coverts black, tipped with white : tail and 

 upper tail-coverts bluish gray : flanks and thighs with transverse undu- 

 lating lines of black : bill and legs deep bluish gray ; the membranes of 

 the toes dusky. (Female.) Crown, cheeks, and occiput, reddish brown ; 

 crest shorter than in the male ; throat, sides and front of the upper part 

 of the neck, belly, and abdomen, white ; lower part of the neck, breast, 

 and flanks, clouded with ash-colour : back, tail, and upper tail-coverts, 

 deep ash-gray: wings much as in the male, only the dark parts gray 

 instead of black. The young of the year resemble the adult female, 

 After the second moult, the male begins to shew a few black feathers 

 on the sides of the face, the first indication of the large patch which cha- 

 racterizes that part in the adult ; some white appears on the crown and 

 occiput ; the back becomes partially black ; and the two crescent-shaped 

 fasciae are faintly traced out on the sides of the breast. (Egg.) " Whitish." 

 TEMM. 



A winter visitant, but not of very frequent occurrence. Principally 

 met with in the neighbourhood of fresh waters. Breeds in high latitudes 

 on the borders of lakes and rivers. Eggs, according to Temminck, from 

 eight to twelve in number. Food, fish, and aquatic vegetables. Obs. 

 The Minute Merganser of Montagu and other English authors (M. 

 minutus, Linn.) is referable to the female and young of this species. 



GEN. 100. PODICEPS, Lath. 



264. P. cristatus, Lath. (Great Crested Grebe.) Bill 

 longer than the head, reddish, the tip white ; distance from 

 the nostrils to the tip about eighteen lines. 



P. cristatus, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. n. p. 717. Crested Grebe, 

 Mont. Orn. Diet. Selb. Illust. vol. n. p. 394. pi. 73. Great Crested 

 Grebe, Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. n. p. 153. 



DIMENS. Entire length twenty-one inches : length of the bill, from 

 the forehead, two inches. 



DESCRIPT. (Adult in perfect plumage.) Streak above the eye, cheeks, 

 and throat, white : crown of the head, occipital crest, and a large ruff of 

 feathers standing out round the neck, glossy black, passing into reddish 

 yellow on the sides of the head : fore part of the neck, and all the under 

 parts of the body, silvery white : hind part of the neck, back, scapulars, 

 and wing-coverts, dusky brown: secondaries pure white, forming an 

 oblique bar across the wings: naked space between the bill and the 

 eye red : bill reddish, dusky brown on the ridge, the tip grayish white : 

 irides crimson red : legs dusky ; internally yellowish white. (From two 

 to three years of age.) "Occipital crest very short, edged with white ; 

 face white, without the reddish tinge; the feathers of the ruff' very short; 

 a dusky streak passing from the bill beneath the eyes, and reaching to 



