HORNED GREBE. 433 



scales. Hind toe very small, with an inferior small membrane ; fore toes 

 long, the outer longest, scutellate above, united at the base by short webs, 

 externally margined, internally with broad rounded expansions, which 

 are marked with parallel oblique lines, and crenate on the edges. Claws 

 flattened, that of the middle toe broadest, with an extremely thin broad 

 terminal edge. 



Plumage of the head and neck very soft and downy, of the breast and 

 sides silky and highly glossed, of the abdomen downy, of the upper parts 

 imbricated, but with loose edges. Wings small ; primaries much curved, 

 the first longest, the second almost equal. Tail, a small tuft of loose fea- 

 thers. On the head, at this season, is a tuft of soft feathers on each side 

 behind the eye, and a larger on each side of the upper part of the neck. 



Bill bluish-black, its tip yellow. Short loral space bright carmine, as 

 is the iris, its inner margin white ; edges of eyelids greyish-blue. Feet 

 dusky externally, internally and on the anterior and posterior ridges of 

 the tarsus dull yellow ; claws dusky. Forehead greyish-brown ; upper 

 parts of the head bluish-black, as are the sides, fore neck anteriorly, and 

 the elongated ruff feathers ; a broad band over the eyes, and the elono-ated 

 tufts behind them yellowish-brown. Fore neck brownish-red ; lower parts 

 white, the sides reddish-brown ; abdomen dull grey. The upper parts 

 are brownish-black, the feathers edged with greyish, the middle secondary 

 quills white. 



Length to end of tail 14|, to end of claws 19 ; extent of wings 25^ ; 

 wing from flexure 5^ ; bill along the back i|, along the edge of lower 

 mandible 1;^ ; tarsus 1^ ; outer toe 1^§, its claw /g. Weight 14 oz. 



Young Female in winter. Plate CCLIX. Fig. 2. 



The feathers of the hind head are a little elongated, but at this age 

 there are no tufts on the head. In other respects the plumage is as in 

 the adult male. The bill is bluish-grey, as is the bare loral space ; the 

 eye bright carmine, the iris with an inner white edge ; the feet bluish-grey. 

 The upper part of the head, and the hind neck, are greyish-black, as are 

 the upper parts in general. The feathers of the back edged with light 

 grey. The throat, the sides of the head, a broad patch on each side of 

 the neck nearly meeting behind, the breast white ; the sides and downy 

 feathers of the abdomen brownish-grey. Some of the secondaries are 

 white, as in the adult male. 



VOL. Ill, E e 



