THE RED-NECKED GREBE. 559 



PODICEPS, LATHAM. 



Podiceps, LATHAM, Ind. Ornith. (1790), 780. (Type Colymbus cristatus, L.) 

 Bill long, slender, tapering, and pointed; nostrils situated in a groove, small, 

 linear, and pervious; wings short and narrow, second primary a little the longest, 

 emarginjfte near the ends ; tail a tuft of loose feathers ; tarsi short, much compressed, 

 the edges covered with small scutellae, and the sides with broad transverse scutellae ; 

 toes long, the outer longest, flattened, with the sides lobed, the most on the inner 

 side, and at the base united by webs ; hind toe short and broadly lobed, claws small, 

 depressed, and obtuse. 



These birds mostly frequent the fresh-water rivers and interior lakes ; but they are 

 also found near the seacoast. They are very expert swimmers, but make progress 

 with great difficulty on land ; their flight is rapid and direct. In the breeding season, 

 the head is ornamented with ruffs and elongated tufts, which disappear when they 

 assume their winter garb. 



PODICEPS GEISEIGENA. Gray. 

 The Bed-necked Grebe. 



Podiceps rubricottis, Nuttall. Man., II. (1834) 253. Aud. Orn. Biog., III. (1835) 

 617 ; V. (1839) 520. /&., Birds Am., VII. (1844) 312. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Adult. Upper plumage blackish-brown, with the upper part of the head and 

 hind-neck black ; primaries ashy-brown, secondaries mostly white, a few of the inner 

 ones dark-ash; cheeks and throat ash-gray; a white line extends from the lower 

 mandible under and beyond the eye; forepart and sides of the neck rich brownish- 

 red ; lower parts silvery- white, with the sides dusky ; bill black, paler at the end, 

 and bright-yellow at the base ; iris carmine ; tarsi and feet externally greenish-black, 

 internally yellow. 



Young. The upper plumage is blackish-brown, darker on the head ; throat and 

 abdomen white; sides of the head and forepart of neck brownish-ash; abdomen 

 Bilky-white ; sides dark brownish-ash ; bill bright-yellow. 



Length about eighteen inches ; wing, seven ; bill, one and three-quarters ; tarsi, 

 two inches. 



Hob. Fur countries and in the Atlantic States, as far south as Pennsylvania, in 

 winter. 



The Red-necked Grebe is common on our coast in winter, 

 where it is commonly called " The Diver," from its habit of 

 diving at the flash of a gun. It feeds, like all other birds 

 of this family, on small fishes and marine animals, which it 

 obtains by diving ; and such is its expertness and powers 

 of endurance in this respect, that I have known it to remain 

 certainly a minute beneath the surface, if not longer. It is 



