618 RED-NECKED GREBE. 



acute. Upper mandible with the dorsal line straight and slightly sloping 

 to the middle, then slightly convex, the ridge convex, the sides sloping, 

 towards the end erect and convex, the edges acute and inflected. Nasal 

 groove extending to the middle of the mandible ; nostrils subbasal, linear- 

 elliptical, pervious. Lower mandible with the angle long and extremely 

 narrow, the dorsal line ascending and straight, the sides erect, slightly 

 convex, the edges sharp, inflected, the tip narrow, very acute. 



Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Neck long and slender. 

 Body depressed. Feet large, placed very far behind ; tibia feathered al- 

 most to the joint ; tarsus short, extremely compressed, anteriorly with a 

 narrow scuteUate ridge, laterally with very broad scutella, posteriorly with 

 a narrow ridge having a double row of small prominent 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 with narrowish, internally with broad, lobe-shaped expansions, 

 which are marked with parallel obUque 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 and rump downy, of the 

 upper parts imbricated, but with loose edges. Wings small ; primaries 

 much curved, the first longest, the second almost equal, the inner secon- 

 daries extending beyond the first primary when the wing is closed. Tail 

 a small tuft of loose feathers. On the head is a tuft of elongated feathers 

 on each side behind the eye, and those of the posterior part of the cheek 

 are also elongated. 



Bill brownish-black, bright yellow at the base. Iris carmine. Tarsi 

 and toes greenish-black externally, yellow on the inner side, the edges of 

 the lobes dusky. Upper part of the head greyish-black, lower part ash- 

 grey, with a white line from the base of the lower mandible to beyond the 

 eye. Hind part of the neck, and upper parts generally, greyish-black ; 

 the feathers edged with pale brown ; the edge of the wing and the outer 

 secondaries white. The fore part and sides of the neck rich brownish-red ; 

 the breast and sides are of a silvery white, faintly marked with grey. 



Length to end of rump-feathers 18| inches, to end of wings 16^, to 

 end of claws 24 ; extent of wings 32 ; wing from flexure 7\ ; bill along 

 the back l^^, along the edge of lower mandible 2| ; tarsus 2 ; outer toe 

 2^, its claw i Weight 23 oz. 



