PODICIPID^ — THE GREBES — PODICEPS. 



439 



This diminutive Grebe is a West Indian, ^lexioan, Central American, and Soutli 

 American species, coming witliin our fauna only in Soutliwestern Texas and in the 

 valley of the Colorado. 



In the Herlandier Collection, purchased by Lieutenant Couch and presented to the 

 Smithsonian Institution, there were a number of the eggs of this Grebe, showing tliat 

 tliis bird must be not uncommon in the valley of the llio Grande, esi)ecially on its 

 western side. 



Mr. Salvin met with this species on the Lake of Du» "as on the Ifith of October, 

 1859. Mr. G. C. Taylor saw several individuals on the lagoon in Tigre Island, Hon- 

 duras. Mr. E. C. Taylor mentions his meeting with it in Porto Kico. There he once 

 came upon several of these birds swimming about in a deep broad ditcli, and suc- 

 ceeded in obtaining one. He found that it differs from tlie true Grebe in having tlie 

 feet semipalmated as well as lobated. Leotaud includes it among the birds of 

 Trinidad, where it is frequently to be met with. He regards it as a true Grebe in 

 its habits, and as passing all its life in the water. Its plumage thickly matted, and 

 thoroughly impregnated with oil, is utterly impervious to moisture. The anatomical 

 formation of its respiratory organs is such that there is not the usual necessity for 

 frequent renewals of respiration. When, therefore, it plunges in alarm under tlie 

 water, to escape the danger that menaces, it will exhaust the patience of tlie hunter 

 before it reappears. Sometimes it will go to the bottom, and there remain a long 

 time, moving about all the while as if it were on the land. Whenever it chances to 

 be upon the land, and attempts to move, its awkwardness clearly indicates tliat tlie 

 bird is entirely out of its element. Wuon it is at rest it keejis itself nearly upright, 

 supporting itself on its tarsi and rump. Li'otaud also mentions that he has heard of 

 |)ersons wlio maintain the excellence of the ilesli of this Grebe, but that he is decid- 

 edly not one of that number. He is not able to state with positive certainty whether 

 this species is a resident of Trinidad, or only a visitant. 



Dr. liurmeister mentions that this species is found everywhere throughout the 

 whole region of tlu> La I'lata, upon the lakes, ponds, and streams in the pampas, tand 

 in tlie lagoons near the larger rivers, iireferring always still water. 



Colonel Grayson speaks of the Santo Domingo (irebe as being an abundant and 

 common species near Mazatlan, in Western Mexico. It is found in all the fresh-water 

 ponds and lakelets of that locality, and may be met with near Tepic through the 

 entire year. 



Dr. IJerlandier, in his manuscript notes, speaks of a Grebe, corresponding in size 

 to this species, as inhabiting the lak(>s produced by the overflowing of the llio liravo 

 del Norte, in the vicinity of Matainoras. 



Dr. Merrill — the first positively to confirm the claim of this Grebe to belong to 

 iiur fauna — found it a rather common resident in Southwestern Texas. Several 

 Mt'sts, undoubtedly belonging to this species, were found by liini ISIay IG, 1877, in a 

 salt-marsh a few miles from Fort Hrown. These nests were made of water-plants 

 and pieces of reeds slightly fasteneil to one or two tuU stalks, forming a wet floating 

 mass. No eggs were obtained. 



lufous sjHit, nn ryohrow over i-ncli pyp ; a iwstociilnr striix>, nn obliiinc oorvicnl striiw oxtrndiiig along 

 llii' wliolc Ifiigth ol' tho neck, ami a iiuclml stripe also passing on to tin' iiwk ; clifcks, throat, ami forunt'ck 

 aiv wliitc, varied with blackish lines, ono of whieh extends fi-oin the rhiii along the whole length of the 

 tliiciiit and neek ; two others on each side of the neck, one on the sides of the throat, ami the other the 



whole length of the lower part of the el ks. Hack Maiki^h gray, intersju'rsed with white haiin ; Invn-st 



mid sides deep gray, mixed with whitish haii-s ; middle of the nnder jMirt largely white. Iris nearly 



l.lMck." 



