NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



ORDER PYGOPODES. THE DIVING BIRDS. 



(Page 1) 

 Families. 



a*. Tail-feathers wanting. 



Anterior toes lobed, the nails very broad, flat, and with rounded tips. (Sub- 

 order Podicipedes) Podicipidae. (Page 4.) 



a 2 . Tail-feathers present, but short. (Suborder CepphL} 



b l . Hind toe present Urinatoridse. (Page 6.) 



6 2 . Hind toe absent Alcidae. (Page 8.) 



FAMILY PODICIPID^. THE GREBES. (Page 4.) 



Nest a thick matted platform of rushes, sedges, etc., usually floating upon the 

 surface of the water in grassy or sedgy ponds or marshes. Eggs 2-5, dull white, 

 bluish white, or very pale bluish green, usually stained more or less (often quite 

 deeply) with light brown, by contact with decomposed vegetable matter. 



Genera. 

 a 1 . Bill slender, the length of the culmen much more than twice the depth at the 



b l . Length of culmen five or more times as much as greatest depth of the bill; 



neck nearly as long as the body /Echmophorus. (Page 4.) 



b 2 . Length of culmen less than four times as much as greatest depth of the bill ; 



neck much shorter than the body Colymbus. (Page 5.) 



2 . Bill very stout, the length of the culmen less than twice as much as the greatest 

 depth of the bill Podilymbus. (Page 6.) 



GENUS ^CHMOPHORUS COUES. (Page 4, pi. I., fig. !.) 



Species. 



COMMON CHARACTERS. Pileum and cervix slaty black ; rest of upper parts slaty, 

 inner webs of remiges chiefly white; entire lower parts, including lower half of 

 head and all of neck except stripe down the cervix, pure satiny white. Downy 

 young: Above uniform brownish gray, lighter anteriorly; lower parts uniform white. 



a 1 . Length 24.00-29.00 inches; wing 7.45-8.50 (average 8.07); culmen 2.60- 

 3.05 (2.78). Eggs 2-5, 2.40 X 1-54. Hab. Western North America 

 (chiefly the interior) from Mexico and Lower California to Manitoba. 



1. JEi. occidentalis (LAWR.). Western Grebe. 



a*. Length about 22.00 inches; wing 6.70-7.75 (7.31); culmen 2.10-2.48 (2.25). 

 Eggs 2-5, 2.1 6 X 1-41. Hab. "Western North America, chiefly along Pacific 

 coast .>. clarkii (LAWR.). Clark's Grebe. 



