158 AVES. 



of them are wholly deprived of that faculty, we may consider them <is exclu- 

 sively attached to the surface of the water : their plumage is extremely dense, 

 and its surface frequently polished, presenting a silvery lustre. They swim 

 under water, using their wings with almost as much effect as though they 

 were fins. 



COLYMBUS, Linnaeus. 



The only particular character of the Divers is a smooth, straight, com- 

 pressed and pointed bill, and linear nostrils ; but the differences in the feet 

 have caused them to be subdivided. 



PODICEPS, Latham. 



The toes of the Grebes, instead of being palmated, are widened like those of 

 the coots, the anterior ones only being united at base 

 by membranes. The middle nail is flattened, and the 

 tarsus strongly compressed. The semi-metallic lustre 

 _*Pr*i>Ti 'T3H " ^ l ' lc ' r phunape has caused it to be occasionally cm- 

 ployed as fur. Their tibia, as well as that of the suc- 

 ceeding subgenera, is prolonged above into a point, 

 which gives a more efficient insertion to the extensors 

 of the leg. 



These birds live on lakes, &c., and build among the 

 rushes- In certain circumstances, it appears that they 

 carry their young ones under their wings. Their size and plumage are so 

 much changed by age,.as to have caused an improper multiplication of species. 

 M. Meyer reduces those of Europe to four. 



CoL cristatus, Gm. (The Crested Grebe). Is the size of a duck ; blackish- 

 brown above, silver white beneath ; a white band on the wing ; it acquires 

 with age a double black tuft, and the adults have, in addition, a broad red 

 colerette on the upper part of the neck edged with black. 



MERGUS, Brisson EUDYTEH, lUiger*. 



The true Divers have the feet of ordinary Palmipedes, along with^all the 

 forms of the grebes; that is, the anterior toes are united to their ends by mem- 

 branes, and are terminated by pointed nails. They are northern birds, which 

 rarely breed in France, where they arrive in winter ; at which season is occa- 

 sionally seen on the coast. 



Col. glacialis, Lin. (The Great Northern Diver.) The adult is two feet 

 six inches in length, its head and neck black, changing to a green with a 

 whitish collar ; back a blackish brown dotted with whitish ; white beneath ; 

 the lower mandible, which has a slight curve upwards, is marked by a groove 

 beneath. 



Mergug (diver), the Latin name of some sea bird difficult to determine. Eudytcs, a 

 Grrek word composed by Illiger, has the same meaning. 



