422 



THE DIVING BIRDS— I'YGOl'ODES. 



Had. Western Province of Nortli America, l(ree(liM<» nearly throurthout its range ; extending 

 I'-'uii Southern ('ulii'oniia on the s^oiUiiwe.sl to the Red River Region (Shoal Lake, bitjeding abun- 

 dantly) at the northeiust, 



Sp. Char. Adult, full hrecding-phniwge : Pileuni and najie slaty black ; remaining upjier parts 

 brownish slate, tlie remiges paler and more grayish, with the inner webs chiefly white ; con- 

 cealed bases of primaries and outer webs of secondaries next the shaft also white. Entire lower 

 jiarts Siitiny white, abruptly defined against the black of the pileum and nape ; sides, beneath the 

 the wings, clouded with- grayish ; lores usually brownish gra\', sometimes white. IJill olivaceous, 

 becoming clear yellowisli terminally and along the commissure ; iri.s bright clear rose-red ; legs 



■nil 



U.*! 



and feet greenish olive in the dried skin. Adult (mul Yi>u)i(j) ?» u-ititir : Similar, but pileum and 

 nape brownish slate, like the back. " I'ill <lull, rather light yellow, the lower niandilile deepening 

 into orange terminally ; culnien and l)road longitudinal space on the side of the basal two thirds 

 of the lower man lible dark olive-green, the former nearly black ; iris pure carmine (having much 

 the appearance of a red currant), growing narrowly whitish iiround the pupil ; tarsi and toes dull 

 olivaceous yellow, the outer side of the tarsus and joints of the toes nearly black." ' Dnuiiij ynuiifi : 

 Above, uniform brownish gray, the nape and pileum lighter ; lower parts uniform white ; bill 

 blackish. No streaks or other markings whatever about the plumage. 



Total length, a!)out '26.(«) inches ; extent, 4().(M) ; wing, 7.4.')-S..'j() (average, 8.07) ; cnlmen, 2.C0- 

 3.05 (2.78) ; depth of bill thnrngh base, .45-.5() (.54) ; tarsus, 2.75-3.10 (2.!)4) ; outer toe, 2.(!()- 

 3.20 (2.(!7). (Fourteen adults.) 



This largo and conspioiioiis sppoies was first mado known in the " Roport of tin* 

 Pafiiiu Railroad Explorations," from sppcinioiis coUcptod by Drs. Konnovly, (!oo])im', 

 and Sucklt'y, at IJodoga, Cal., in Shoalwator Hay, Fort Stoilacooni, and on I'ugct 

 Sound. Since that time this bird lias boon ascertained to have an extended dis- 

 tribution from the I'acific coast of Sonthern California to Shoal Lake, in the Fur 

 Regions. 



Mr. Donald Gnnn, referring to this species, states that the iar^e Grebes were only 

 met with by him on the shores of Shoal Lake. Although he had travelled over ii 

 largo portion of what is known as Rupert's Land, he is (luite positive that he has 

 never seen this bird anywhere before, lie met with it in vast immbers at Slioiil 

 Lake. There he found them breeding, making their nests of bulrushes fixed to other 

 rushes that were standing. The nest floats on the water, but is ke])t by the stems ol 

 the rooted plants, to which it is fastened, from drifting away from its mof)rings. .\ll 

 the other Grebes, so far as he has seen, make their nests of the same materials and 

 in the same manner. 



' Fri'sli colors of nn adult ninlo killed January 13. (.See Riiiffwny, Orn. Fortieth Pandlol, p. 641.) 



