432 



THE DIVING BIRDS — PYGOPODES. 



Dytes auritus. 



THE HORNED GREBE. 



Colymbus auritus, Linn. S. N. cd. 10, I. 1758, 135 ; ed. 12, I. 1766, 222, 



Di/fcs mir litis, Kidgw. Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, no. 732. 



Cohjmhus cornutns, Gmel. S. N. I. ii. 1788, 591. 



Podiccps cornu/vs. Lath. Iiul. Oni. II. 1790, 783. — Sw. k Rich. F. B. A. II. 1831, 411.— NrxT. 



Man. II. 1834, 254. —AuD. Oin. Biog. III. 1835, 429, pi. 259 ; Syiiop. 1S39, 357; B. Ain. 



VII. 1844, 316, pi. 481. — Lawu. in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 895. — Baird, Cat. N. Am. B. 



1859, no. 706. — CouES, Key, 1872, 337; Check List, 1873, no, 611; ed, 2, 1882, no. 848; 



Birds N, W. 1874, 731. 

 Cohjmlms obscnrus, Gmkl. S. N. I. ii. 1788, 592. 



Cohjmhns casjiicus, S. G. Gmel. Reise, IV. 1774-1784, 137. — Gmkl. S. N. I. ii. 1788, 593. 

 Pudiccps hicornis, BuEiiM, Viig. Deutschl. 1831, 96, pi. 44, fig. 4. 



Hab. Northern hemisphere in general. Breeds in the Northern United States and northward. 



Sp, Char. Adult, hreeding-plumncje : Head generally, including the fluffy tufts on each side of 



the upper neck, slightly glossy dull greenish black, becoming gradually dull sooty slate on the 



forehead ; lores dull ochraceous-rufous, communicating with 

 a broad superciliary stripe of bright ochraceous, which con- 

 tinues, gradually \;idening, to the sides of the occiput ; fore- 

 neck rich rufous. Upper parts dusky, the feathers sometimes 

 with indistinctly paler margins ; secondaries chiefly or entirely 

 wliite. Lower parts white, the sides mixed chestnut-rufous 

 and grayish dusky. " Bill bluish black, its tip yellow ; short 

 loral space bright carmine, as is tlie iris, its inner margin 

 white ; edges of eyelids grayish blue ; feet dusky externally, 

 internally, and on anterior and posterior ridges of the tarsus 

 dull yellow ; claws dusky" (Audubon). Winter ■plumafje : 

 Pileum, nape, and sides of the jugulum smoky slate ; under 

 part and sides of the head, lores, and lower parts generally, 

 wliite ; jugulum faintly shaded with pale grayish, and sides 

 clouded with dark grayish. Ujiper parts as in the summer 

 plumage, but more slaty. "Bill bluish gray, as is the bare loral space ; the eye bright caimine, 

 with an inner white edge ; tlie feet bluish gray" (Audubon). Doiomj young (half-groicn) : 

 Pileum and nape dusky ; sides of the head with two dusky stripes and several irregular sj^ots of 

 the same color ; throat with a dusk}' streak on each side. Otherwise similar in color to the winter 

 plumage. 



Total length, about 14.75 inches ; extent, 25.50 ; wing, 5.75 ; culmen, 1.00 ; tarsus, 1.75. 



This specues, vaviotisly known among authors as the "Horned Grebe," the "Dusky 

 Grebe," and the " Sclavonian Grebe," is common to the northern portions of both 

 continents, and is found on the Pacilic coast as far north at least as Vancouver, and 

 to Greenland on the eastern. It is equally common in the northern portions of 

 Europe and Asia in the summer, wandering in the winter farther south. It is rather 

 a rare bird in Great I)ritain during the summer, but is of more frequent appearance 

 in the winter, frequenting the coast and the marshy districts ; and is not uncommon 

 in Ireland during the same season. It has been said to be resident in Scotland all 

 the year, but there is no recent evidence of the fact. Mr. Dunn found it extremely 

 rare in the Orkney and Shetland Islands, only noticing seven or eight. He describes 

 it as being a very shy bird and a most expert diver — frequenting the sea, but 

 always remaining close to the rocks. AVhen alarmed it dives to a great distance, and 

 on coming to the surface immediately takes wing. 



