PODICIPIDiE — THE GREBES — COLYMBUS. 



425 



ur which 

 ly one or 

 is appar- 



EgSS of this species from Shoal Luke, in liritish Ameiiea, vary from 2.15 inches 

 to 2.60 in their length, and from 1.45 to 1.50 in tlieir breadth. They are unspotted, 

 and iu all essential respects resemble the eggs of all the members of the entire 

 genus. 



Genus COLYMBUS, Linn.kus. 



Cuhjmlms, Linn. S. N. hI. 10, I. 1768, 135; cd. 12, 1. 17(56, '220 (type, by elimination, Colymbiis 



crisliilH.1, LixN. ).' 

 Pudiaj).", Lath. Iml. Orii. II. 1790, 780 (i)ait ; but, type, by eliuiiuation aiiJ lestiiutioii, Cuhjmbus 



fluviatilis, Tuxsr.). 



Char. Neck much shorter than the body ; bill about equal to the head, stout (length of the 

 cuhneii about thrct; and a half times the depth tin■ou,^h tlie base), the tip blunt, and the out- 

 linea more or less convex ; tarsus shorter than middle toe witli claw. Breeding plumage orna- 

 nieuted by Colored tulls or patches about the head, the winter plumage and the young very 

 dill'erent. 



■ lores more 

 ol. VI. Oct, 



lale of A''- 



s rogard(>d 

 as only a 

 s(nnc of its 

 ;at ; and as 

 me area, it 

 ssess sonn- 

 ave a more 

 Mr. J. H 

 e sea-t'oast 



two largi' 



s and bays 



lie range oi 



lorc(( 



at Miiii- 



idonged ti 



I cries. 



Dr. 



.;rred to as 



3ns, have a 

 kthout leav- 

 lU only jti^' 

 Iseen. Oiic 



[(luently to 



|r a careful 



it appfii' ■' 



[hii 



C. cristalns. 



Oidy one ."species of this genus, as here restricted, belongs to North America, the occurrence of 

 C, criMatiu — wliicli for half a century or more has been included in most works on Noitli American 

 ornithology, and generally considcivd a comnio'i bird ol' this country — btiing so very doubtful that 

 tliric is not a single reliable record of its having been taken on this nnitincnt. For convenience 

 111' idcntilication, however, in case it should lie found in America, the charactew of this species are 

 given along with those of C. llolhaiUi ami the Knroiican representative of the latter, C ijriseijena, 



I. C. Holbcallii Wing, 7.30-8.10 inches (average, 7. (!.">); culmen, l.Ctt-^.-lO (:.'.<t2); dejjth 

 of bill at base, M-.m (,.')7); tarsus, •2.25-2.00 (2.53); outer toe, 2.50-3.05 (2.70). No 



' Notwithstiiniling tlic cxtn'rin' dislike we hiivi' to this Imrsli transfer of tin; name Cohjinhus from the 

 l-iicins to the (ivclii's, \\y. unfciitunately lan sec no lii'lp I'liv if. Sinidcvall has clearly shown (Met. Av. 

 N'^il. 1872, p. x.xix) that it should never have been retained for the ((iruicr, and most other authorities are 

 invlty well agreed as to the incorrectiniss of its use in that connection. It is a case in which the facts 

 iiiv dear, and the rules of procedure .so exi)licit that there is no alternative if vvu would bo consistent iu 

 liar cllorts to assist toward reaching a lixed or stable nomenclature, 

 vol,. II. — r)4 



