PODICEPS. BIRDS. 307 



P. rubricollis, Lath. Tern. Red-necked Grebe. Bill black, the length 

 of the head, yellow at the base; occipital crest very short ; no ruff ; 

 distance from the anterior margin of the nostrils to the point of 

 the bill eleven lines ; chin, cheeks, and region of the ears cine- 

 reous, under part of the neck and breast rusty red ; belly and 

 secondary quill-feathers white. 15 to 17 inches long. Inhabits 

 Europe. B Penn. Brit. Zool. ii. 139. 



P. cornutus, Tern. (P. obscurus and Caspicus, Lath.) Dusky Grebe. 

 Bill strong, shorter than the head, compressed throughout its 

 length, black, but red at the tip ; iris double ; distance from the 

 anterior margin of the nostrils to the tip of the bill six or seven 

 lines ; crown of the head, and very broad ruff of a deep and glossy 

 black ; two large tufts of rufous feathers placed above and behind 

 the eyes; neck and breast of a bright shining rufous; under 

 parts pure white ; nape and upper parts blackish. 12 to 13 in- 

 ches long. Inhabits Europe. B Shaw, xiii. pi. 1. 



P. auritus, Lath. Top of the head, face, short occipital tuft, and 

 ruff, deep black ; a pencil of long, slender, yellow feathers behind 

 the eyes ; upper parts, throat, neck, and sides of the breast black ; 

 flanks and thighs deep- red chestnut, lower parts white ; bill short- 

 er than the head, black, base depressed, point recurved; dis- 

 tance of the nostrils from the tip of the bill 6 or 7 lines. 11^ or 

 12 inches long. Inhabits Europe. Penn. Brit. Zool. ii. pi. 24. 



P. minor, Tern. (P. Hebridicus, Lath. Hebridicus and minor, Gmel.) 

 Black Chin Grebe. Bill very short, strong, compressed ; neither 

 crest nor ruff; distance from the anterior margin of the nostrils 

 to the tip of the bill five lines ; tarsi posteriorly furnished with 

 long asperities. 9 to 10 inches long. Inhabits Europe. B. - 

 Shaw, xiii. pi. 2. 



ORDER XV. PALMIPEDES. 



Bill of various forms ; legs short, placed more or less backwards ; 

 the anterior toes partially or wholly connected by webs, and, 

 in some families, ail the four toes united by one membrane ; 

 the hinder toe interiorly articulated to the tarsus, or in some 

 genera wanting. 



Most of the species belonging to this numerous order may be termed sea.birdi. 

 Their plumage is thicker, closer, and better furnished with down, than that of other 

 birds. Some of the order both swim and dive, others only swim or skim over the 

 surface of the sea, but never plunge under water, while a few are almost habitually 

 resident in the ocean, repairing to the shore only to breed. They subsist on fish 

 and their fry, testaceous animals, and marine insects ; and a few, as geese, swans, 

 and some species of ducks, also feed on vegetables. They breed in holes, among 

 rocks, or sometimes on the stony beach. Most of them moult twice a-year ; the 

 female, in some instances, moulting later than the male. The young, during the 

 first year, and, in some cases, during several years, differ much in appearance from 

 the full grown birds. For the most part they are polygamous and prolific. The 

 flesh of most of the species is eatable, and that of some is highly prized. 



