EARED GREBE. 109 



Adult Male. Plate CCCCIV. Fig. 1. 



Bill shorter than the head, as broad as high at the base, compressed 

 and slightly recurved toward the end ; upper mandible with the dorsal 

 line straight and slightly declinate to beyond the nostrils, then direct, 

 but slightly descending toward the tip, the ridge convex, the edge in- 

 curved, the tip acute; lower mandible with the angle long and ex- 

 tremely narrow, the dorsal line beyond it ascending and slightly con- 

 vex, the sides sloping outwards and a little convex, the edges direct, 

 the tip acute. Nostrils linear, basal, rather small, pervious. Gape- 

 line almost straight, being a little recurvate. 



Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed ; neck long, slender ; 

 body depressed. Feet short, large, placed close to the extremity of 

 the body ; tibia feathered to within two-twelfths of an inch of the 

 joint ; tarsus extremely compressed, its anterior edge with a row of 

 small scutella, the sides with broad scutella, beyond which are some 

 irregular scales, the posterior edge with a double line of small promi- 

 nent scales ; first toe very small, with an inferior membrane, fourth 

 longest ; anterior toes scutellate, connected at the base by a membrane, 

 and having on both sides an expanded web-like margin, marked with 

 oblique lines, and having a crenulate edge ; claws flat, that of the third 

 toe very broad, obliquely obovate, abrupt. 



Pltomage very soft, blended, on the lower parts silky, on the back 

 glossy and rather compact. Feathers on the occiput a little elongated ; 

 a tuft of very long, loose, linear feathers, on each side of the head, 

 rising from over and behind the eye, and covering the ears. Wings 

 small, acute ; primaries much curved, the first longest, the second al- 

 most equal, the rest rapidly graduated ; secondaries short, rounded. 

 Tail a slight tuft of loose feathers. 



Bill black, tinged with blue. Iris blood-red. Feet dusky grey ex- 

 ternally, greenish-grey on the inner side. The tufts on the sides of 

 the head are orange, anteriorly more yellow, posteriorly red ; the head 

 and upper part of the neck are deep black ; the rest of the upper parts 

 brownish-black, the wings greyish-brown, with a broad patch of white, 

 the secondary quills being of that colour. The throat, fore part and 

 sides of the neck are dull black, its lower part with some spots of the 

 same ; the rest of the lower parts glossy silvery-white, excepting the 

 sides of the body and rump, which are light red. 



Length to end of tail 13 inches ; bill along the ridge {^, along the 



