496 POD1CEPS CORNUTUS. 



PODICEPS CORNUTUS. 

 Horned Grebe. 



Podiceps cornulus LATH., Ind. Orn.; 1790, 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. Cn. Size, small. Form, slender. Head, furnished with elongated plumes. COLOR. Adult. Throat, crown, and 

 upper parts, black, becoming brownish on latter where the feathers are edged with lighter. Stripe from base of bill to 

 occiput through eye, front of neck, hides, and flanks, yellowish-chestnut, mixed with dusky on latter. Patch on seconda- 

 ries, white. Silky-white beneath. Iris, yellow, bill, black, and feet, greenish. In winter and Young, Ashy-brown above 

 and on sides. Silky-white beneath but lacks the black and chestnut; otherwise as in the summer adult. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Known in adultstageby the red markings, and in young, by the small size, slender bill, and white throat and front of 

 neck. Distributed in summer throughout the North-west and North. Winters in the South. 



DIMENSIONS 



Average measurements of specimens. Length, 14'25; stretch, 24'55; wing, 4*65; tail, 1-35; hill, '93; tarsus, T75. 

 Longest specimen, 15'25; greatest extent of wing, 25-10; longest wing, 5'75; tail, 1-45; bill, '95; tarsus, 1-85. Shortest 

 specimen, 13-25; smallest extent of wing, 24-15; shortest wing, 4'55, tail, 1'25; bill, '90; tarsus, 1'70. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed in marshes or on floating debris, composed of grass, weeds, etc. Eggs, four to six in number, elliptical 

 in form, yellowish-white in color. Dimensions from l'15x 1'70 to l'2()x 1'75. 



HABITS. 



The pretty, little Horned Grebes are very common in the mouths of our New England 

 rivers which empty into the sea, in autumn, when on their way south, but are rare here in 

 spring; yet in April, they are very abundant in the Susquehanna River, in Pennsylvania, 

 when they are in full plumage. Like all members of the Family, these Grebes possess the 

 power of diving with remarkable quickness, and can remain under water for a great length 

 of time, or will project the bill above the surface, the body -remaining concealed. Accord- 

 ing to writers, they breed in the North-west and North, about the last week in June, nest- 

 ing like the succeeding species. 



GENUS II. PODILYMBUS. THE THICK-BILLED GREBES. 



(jen. Ch. Bill, itrony, much shorter than head, and curved at tip. head, without crest. Members of thLs genus ha?e 

 the wings very short. We have but one species within our limits. 



PODILYMBUS PODICEPS. 

 Pied-billed Grebe. 



Podilymbus podiceps LAW., B. N. A.; 1858, 898. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sr. Cu. Form, robust. Size, medium. COLOR. Adult. Upper parts, breast, "and sides, brown , darkest on crown 

 and two latter where it is mixed with the silky-white of the lower surface. Sides of head and neck in front, reddish-ash, 

 with a broad patch of black on throat. Secondaries, tipped with white. Iris, brown, feet and bill, greenish, the latter 

 crossed midway by a broad band of black. In winter and Young. Similar, but tipped with reddish and lacks the black of 

 throat, which is replaced by white, and band on bill. Nesl/inys. Blackish above, marked with red on head and streaked 

 with white on neck and body. White beneath. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Recognized by the short, thick bill and brown breast. Distributed ia summer from Pennsylvania, northward; winter- 

 ing in the South. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens. Length, 13 75; stretch, 23'50; wing, 5-25; tail, 1'40; bill, -85; tarsus, 1-49. 

 Longest specimen, 14'50; greatest extent of wing, 2400; longest wing. 5'50; tail, 1'60; bill, '95; tarsus, 1-58. Shortest 

 specimen, 13'00; smallest extent of wing, 23'00; shortest wing, 5 -00; tail, 1-5(1; bill, '75: tarsus, T42. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



jVf.-/., placed in marshes or on floating debris, composed of gross, weeds, etc. Eyys, four to six in number, elliptical 

 in form, yellowish-white in color. Dimensions from l'15x T65 to l'25x 1'85. 



HABITS. 



The Pied-billed Grebe is one of the best known species of the gonus, as it is remark- 



