PODICIPEDID^E PODICIPES 509 



the lobe ; fourth toe the longest ; hind toe small and jointed above 

 the level of the others with a small lateral lobe. 



About nineteen species of Grebes form this genus, which is 

 spread all over the world ; three of these inhabit Africa, while a 

 fourth is confined to Madagascar; the three former are all found 

 within our limits. 



Key of the Species. 



A. Largest, wing over 7*0; a bifid occipital crest on 



both sides of the crown and a ruff round the neck 



in the breeding plumage ................................. P. cristatus, p. 509. 



B. Size intermediate; wing about 5*5; an occipital 

 crest right across the crown and a bunch of elon- 

 gated hair-like plumes behind the eye in the 



breeding plumage .......................................... P. nigricollis, p. 511. 



C. Size smallest; wing about 4-10; no crest or ruff... P. capensis, p. 513. 



809. Podicipes cristatus. Great Crested Grebe. 



Colymbus cristatus, Linn. Syst. Nat. 12th ed. i, p. 222 (1766) ; Beiclie- 



now, Vog. Afr. i, p. 16 (1900). 

 Podiceps cristatus, Pelzeln, Novara Eeise, Vog. p. 140 (1865) ; Layard, 



B. 8. Afr. p. 373 (1867) ; Ay res, Ibis, 1869, p. 303 [Transvaal] 



Gurney, in Andersson's B. Damaral. p. 345 (1872) ; Dresser, B. 



Eur. viii, p. 627, pi. 629 (1879) ; Sliarpe, cd. Layard's B. S. Afr. 



p. 785 (1884); Ay res and Gurney, Ibis, 1885, p. 350; Haagner, Ibis, 



1902, p. 581 ; Wkitehead, Ibis, 1903, p. 238. 

 Podicipes cristatus, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 174 (1896) ; Grant, Cat. B. M. 



xx vi, p. 544 (1898). 

 Lophsethyia cristata, Oates, Cat. B. Eggs, i, p. 136 (1901) 



Description. Adult Male in breeding dress. General colour 

 above, including the crown and back of the neck, very dark blackish- 

 brown ; feathers on each side of the crown elongate, forming a long 

 double crest ; wings like the back, except the inner secondaries and 

 the lesser wing-coverts, which are white ; sides of the face, throat, 

 neck and under parts pure silvery-white ; a very full ruff of out- 

 standing feathers round the upper neck, the bases of which are 

 chestnut and the tips black ; sides of the body ashy-black ; axillaries 

 and under wing-coverts white. 



Iris red ; bill reddish-horn, lighter at the tip ; legs and feet 

 black. 



Length (in flesh) 20-0; wing 7'5 ; tail 1-0; culmen 1-75; 

 tarsus 2- 25. 



