132 



THE UIKDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 



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COLY/VIBUS HOLBOELLII {Reinh.). 



hlolboell's Grebe. 



ir. SniaiHiT : Crown, nape, ami back of the neck, black; back, dull black or 

 I)lackisb; tbroat, bellj', aud sides of tbe bead, silvery wliite; front 

 and sides of neck, rufous brown, gradually shading lighter on breast; 

 sides of l)ody, more or less rufous. 



Adult in lointer: Upper plumage, sooty l)ro\vn; throat and undi r- 

 paits, silvery white ; neck, more or less tinged wMtli rufous. Iniinalnrc 

 birds have the throat aud sides tinged with gray. 



Lniijth, IS to 20; wing, 7. GO; tarsus, 2.15; bill, l.SO to 2. 



Dixtrihutiuu : North America at large, including Greenland (^1. O.U., ; 

 south in winter to North Carolina aud Middle States of the interior: 

 breeds from Miuuesota and Dakota northwards. 



X<'st and eggs: The uest is usually composed of grass and reeds, 

 riie eggs are soiled white or pale greenish white, from three to five in uuml)er. 



"ig 



often lloati 



and measure 2.20 x l.JJS 



Holboell's Grebe is the largest of the family in Eastern North America. 

 It is not uncomnion on the Atlantic coast during the winter mouths. Like 

 others of its family it is an expert diver, and rarely takes wing when pursued, 

 usually disappearing beneath the water with an ease and quickness which has 

 won for it the sobricjuet of Hell Diver. When frightened it often swims under 

 water with only a small portion of the head and bill exposed. 



Subgenus DYTES Kaup. 



COLYMBUS AURITUS Lifin. 



Horned Grebe. Water Witch. 



Adult in summer : Upper parts, including back, wings, top 

 of the head and back of the neck, glossy black ; throat, black ; 

 front of the neck, breast, and sides of the body, rufous chest- 

 nut; rest of imderparts, white; wings, du.sky black ; secon- / 

 daries, white; lores, dull chestnut; the two small tufts of 

 featliers at the sides of the occiput, brownish buflf. 



Adult in printer and immature: Head and back, grayish; 

 underparts, white, ur^nMy linyed imth gray on the breast i\ud 

 lower throat; no tufts on sides of the head in lointer plumage. 



Length: 13.40; wing, 5.40; tarsus, 1.70; bill, .85 to .95. 



Distribution: Northern Hemisphere, breeding from the 

 ITnited States northward (^1. 0. {/.), migrating south in ^^» 

 wiut(M' to Florida and the Gulf States. ^* 



Xest and eggs : The nest is a mass of lloaling grass or 

 weeds or a mat of grass on a partly submerged marsh; the 



eggs are four to seven, dull white or yellow i.sh white, or soiled brownish white, and measure 

 1.7.T X 1.15. 



