HISTORY 



OF THE 



BIBDS OF KANSAS 



ORDER PYGOPODES. 



DIVING BIRDS. 



"Legs Inserted far backward, the tarsi extremely compressed. Anterior toes 

 fully webbed or else strongly lobed and with broad flat nails (Podicipidce) . Bill 

 extremely variable. Habits prsecocial in Podicipidce and Urinatoridce, altrlcial 

 in Alcidce; young dasypaedic. Palate schizognatbous. Carotids double, except 

 in Podicipidce and some Alcidce (e. g., genus Alle)." 



SUBORDER PODICIPEDES. GREBES. 



Tail feathers wanting. Anterior toes lobed, the nails very broad, flat, and; 

 with rounded tips. (Ridgway.) 



FAMILY PODICIPIDJE. GKEBES. 



"Swimmers resembling the Loons in the posterior insertion of the legs, but 

 the toes lobate and semipalmate, instead of completely webbed, the claws broad, 

 flat, and nail-like, instead of normally narrow and curved. Bill variable in 

 shape; nostrils variable, but without an overhanging lobe; wings very short and 

 concave, the primaries covered by the secondaries in the closed wing; tail rudi- 

 mentary, consisting of a mere tuft of downy, loose-webbed feathers, without 

 perfectly-formed rectrices; plumage of the lower surface remarkably silky and 

 lustrous, usually white." 



GENUS .33CHMOPHORUS COUES. 



"Neck extremely long (almost as long as the body), the bill longer than the 

 bead, very slender and acute. (the length of the culmen five to six times greater 

 than the depth through the base), straight, or even slightly recurved; tarsus 



