RED-NECKED GREHE. 496 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



A-</., placed on the ground nenr water, composed of grass, weeds, etc. Eygs, two or three in numl>er. pointed ovnl 

 in form, deep greenish-brown in color, spotted and blotclied with very dark-brown. Dimensions from 1 '90 x2'!)0 to 2'0u 

 x300. 



HABITS. 



From reading Audubon's account of the Black-throated Loon, one would expect it to 

 occur, at least, occasionally on our coast, but according to my experience, such is not a fact 

 at present, for although I have examined hundreds of Loons in the flesh and in collections, 

 and seen thousands living, I have yet to met with a single specimen taken on our coast, 

 and it is with some hesitation that I admit it among our birds. It may, however, reach 

 our western borders from the Pacific side, where it is not at all rare. 



FAMLY II. PODICIPID^E. THE GREBES. 



Bill, equal in length to head or shorter, and pointed. Legs and feet, long, with toes 

 lubed. 



Members of this family have the neck rather short. The legs are placed far back in 

 the body, so that the birds cannot stand in a perpendicular position with ease. Tail, rudi- 

 mentary. Sternum, short and wide, with four marginal indentations. The young are cov- 

 ered with down at birth and enter the water as soon as hatched. 



GENUS I, PODICEPS. THE CRESTED GREBES. 



GEN. Cn. Bill, rather strong and usually shorter than head and not curved at lip. head, ornamented with tufts and 

 crests. Members of this genus are remarkable on account of the elongated feathers on head which are, however, only 

 worn during the breeding season. There are three species within our limits. 



PODICEPS GRISEIGEHA. 



Bed-necked Grebe. 

 Podtceps griseigena Gray, Gen. ; 1855. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. Cn. Form, robust. Size, large. COLOR. Adult. Above, black, glossed with greenish, with feathers of lurk 

 edged with whitish and becoming brown on wing coverts and primaries. Secondaries, white tipped with brown. Neck, 

 excepting above, deep brownish-red extending interruptedly on to breast, with a broad patch of 8ilvery-ash on throat that 

 extends up on sides of head and is edged with lighter. Beneath, silky-white, each feather having central line and termi- 

 nal spot of dusky. Iris, red; bill, black and feet, greenish. Young, Dark-brown above, with the feathers slightly edged 

 with whitish. Edge of wing and patch on secondaries, white. Silky-white beneath, with neck all around tinged with 

 ashy and reddish. Iris, yellow; bill, brown, yellow at base. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Known by the large size and reddish neck. Occurs in summer throughout the Arctic Regions, wintering as far south 

 as Pennsylvania. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens. Length, lv)'62; stretch, 31 "50; wing. 7'00; tail, 1 '56; bill, 2'00; tnrsus, 2-53. Long- 

 o<t specimt-n, JO-xi.); greatest extent of wing, 32'25: longest wing, 7'60; tail, 1'65; bill, "210; tarsus, 2'4i). Shortest speci- 

 men, 19-00; smallest extent of wing, 2'J"J5; shortest wing, C'40; tail, 1'55; bill, I "90; tarsus, 2'30. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed on the ground in marshy plnces, composed of grass, weeds, etc. Eggs, eight to ten in number, oval in 

 form, yellowish-white in color, covered with a white calcareous deposit. Dimensions from 1'35 x 2-00 to I'40x2-10. 



HABITS. 



The large Red-necked Grebes are found in autumn and winter, on the salt, land- 

 locked waters of the coast of the New England and Middle States, and I have even seen 

 thorn far out at soa, but, they prefer the mouths of rivers. They arc omnium as far south 

 as Pennsylvania but occur to the Carolina*. These Grebes resemble the following species 

 in general habits but breed in the Arctic Regions. 



