PODICIPIDiE ~ THE GREBES — .ECHJfopnoRUS. 



423 



xtcmUng 

 iig abuii- 



)per parts 

 ite ; con- 

 lire lower 

 im-uth the 

 ilivaceous, 

 -ve.l ; legs 



pileuiu au<l 

 le (U'epeiiiii;^ 

 il two tliinln 

 iiavius,' muih 

 villi toes (lull 



hiruil ;/()l(»f/.' 

 white ; hill 



linen, 2.G0- 

 toe, 2.(10- 



lovt of tin- 

 y, C!ooi)i'r, 

 on I'ngt't 

 >n(lo(l tli'^- 

 in the Yw 



•vvoro only 

 U'd over a 

 lat he has 

 s at Shoal 

 oil to othi'v 

 le stems ot 

 loriuj^'S. All 

 aterials ami 



(.1,11.641.) 



This sjjecies lias been described as being a fine-looking bird as it sits on the 

 water, riding very liglitly, its long neck erect, its bill jjointing horizontally forward. 

 Its length of nock makes the motion, dnring the act of diving, a very peculiar one. 

 When it flies, both its feet and its neck are outstretched. The colors of certain 

 parts, which are very beautiful in life, change and fade after death. 



This species is included by Mr. R. Browne in his list of the birds found on Van- 

 couver Island. Dr. Cooper met with it among the alkaline lakes of the Great I'lain 

 of the Columbia, in (October, 18G0; and it was about the same time of the year that 

 he obtained at Walla-walla, in 1853, the first known example of this species. In all 

 jirobability it breeds on the shores of those lakes. Dr. Cooper also mentions that in 

 liis visit, in 18G2, to Monterey, on the sea-coast of California, he noted its first arrival 

 in that neighborhood about the 2oth of September. 



According to the observations of the same accurate and observant naturalist, this 

 bird winters along the Pacific coast from Puget Sound to San Franiiisco, but does 

 HOC, so far as he is aware, occur farther south. He remarks that tliis Grebe greatly 

 losemblos the Loon in its habits, so far as could be ascertained from observations 

 iiKule in the winter; but he was not able to obtain any information in regard to its 

 liabits in the breeding-season. This species can dive, and swim undia" the water, 

 with tiie greatest ease; and when once raised above the surface, can fly with rapid- 

 ity. About dusk it is often heard to make a loud bloating sound, osi)ecially in the 

 spring. Dr. Cooper thinks it cpiite prolxible that birds of this species never obtain 

 the elongated feathers on the head that decorate the other speities of this family in 

 tlie siiring, since he has procured examples late in Aj)ril without their exhibiting any 

 signs of this adornment. 



Captain Uendire found this Grebe an abundant siunmer resident in Lake ^lalheur, 

 in Eastern Oregon, where it nndoubtedly broods. ^Ir. Henshaw regards the waters 

 of Utah as the eastern limit of this peculiarly western species. It is common in 

 I'tah Lake in summer, and breeds there. In the fall its numbers .are ineroased by 

 arrivals from the north. It is less timid than others of this family, and very little 

 (lillieulty is fonnd in killing it witli a shot-gun. The fishermen informed him that 

 when they draw their seines this bird will often swim up to the edges, in close prox- 

 imity to the boats, and not infrocpiontly allows itself to l)e inclosed in the meshes. 

 A single individual was shot in the Gila Hivor, N. ]M., in November. 



2!chmophonis occidentalis Clarkii. 



CLABK'S OBEBE. 



PiHliirps Clarkii, Lawii. in Ikinl's 11. N. Am. 1858, 80.5. — IIauu), Cut. \. Am. H. ISr.O, no. 705. 

 .Kchmoiihmis Cldrkii, On:i;s, Pr, A<!. Nat. Sci. riiihid. 18G2, 2-J». — Hmcw. Norn. N. Am. 13. 1881, 



no. 730. 

 Pinlierp^ occidentalis, var. Clarkii, Cori'.s, Key, 1872, 33() ; Cliock List, 1873, no. 008a, 

 yKcliiiiiiphonin occidcu/alis Clarki, CofKs, 2(1 Clicok List, 1882, no. 84(i. 

 Piidiccps (.Kchmophorus) occidentalis, h. Clarkii, ('ori;s, Birds X. W. 1874, 727. 



IlAn. Range nearly coextensive with that of the preceding, hut cliiuHy confined to the Pacific 

 coasi district. 



Sp. Char. Exactly like ncciihntalis, hut nmcli smaller, with the hill more slender, "vA inore 

 (ir less recurved; lores usually white. Wing, ()."(»-7.7r) Inches (average, 7.31) ; cnlrien, 2.10- 

 2 IS (2.25) ; dei)lh of bill tiirongli hase, .4r)-.50 (.40) ; i.usus, 2.45-2.85 (2.07) ; outer toe, 

 2.35-2.75 (2.05). (Nine adults.) 



Willie hearing inucli the same relation lliat Urinator pacilicu.i does to U. arcliciis, this " spc, i;:,," 

 aiiinars to he still in the " incipient stage," tlie in 'lusureineiils ol the larger individuals inosevluting 



