354 



surface blackish brown ; throat, fore neck, breast, and underparts of the body silvery white. The 

 occipital feathers on both sides are lengthened, forming an inconspicuous crest : there is no ruff; but the 

 plumage of that portion of the neck is somewhat longer than on the surrounding parts, and is lightly 

 washed with chestnut and marked on the sides with black : there is an absence of the chestnut colouring 

 on the breast, which is pure white ; but there is a tinge of rufous on the dark plumage of the sides 

 immediately under the wings ; the primaries are of a uniform blackish brown, with darker shafts ; the 

 secondaries, tertials, and a broad band on the anterior edge of the wings pure white ; primary and 

 secondary coverts blackish brown ; lining of wings and axillary plumes pure white. 



Obs. The above descriptions are taken from fine examples of this bird in the Colonial Museum ; but it 

 should be mentioned that individuals exhibit slight differences of plumage, especially in the amount of 

 chestnut and rufous colouring. 



Nestling. Covered with soft down ; the head, neck, and upper parts generally, pale buff, with numerous 

 longitudinal stripes of black, which are broadest on the back; the underparts yellowish white. Bill 

 yellow, crossed at the base and in the middle with black, changing to white near the tips of both man- 

 dibles j legs and feet light olive-brown. 



The species described above is no doubt identical with that inhabiting Australia, and named 

 Podiceps australis by Mr. Gould. On a careful comparison of specimens, hov^ever, I can see no 

 reason for separating it from the well-known Podiceps cristatiis of Europe ; and I therefore agree 

 with Dr. Finsch in the adoption of that name. 



The specimen on which I founded my original description of Podiceps Jiectori was in an 

 imperfect condition, and the supposed absence of the white secondaries proved afterwards to be 

 merely accidental ; but, as I have already pointed out in a paper read before the Wellington 

 Philosophical Society *, there appears to be a distinct race inhabiting some of the South-Island 

 lakes, and distinguished by the dark colour of the underparts. Dr. Hector considers this a good 

 species, and states that he found it on the Whakatipu Lake, accompanied by young, and exhi- 

 biting the double crest and red ruff which characterize the fully adult bird ; while in brackish 

 lakes by the coast, where old and young birds, as well as eggs, were obtained, none but white- 

 breasted ones were ever shot. 



On a comparison of the two forms, I find that the Whakatipu bird (of which there are 

 several examples) is rather larger than ordinary specimens of P. cristatiis, has the upper parts 

 perfectly black, and the fore neck and underparts greyish brown tinged with rufous ; the lores, 

 moreover, are black, the rufous white commencing at the angle of the mouth and passing under 

 the eyes to the ear-coverts. It will, of course, be necessary to obtain a larger series of specimens, 

 establishing the constancy of these characters, before the question can be set at rest ; but if the 

 dark-breasted bird should hereafter prove to be a distinct species, I must claim from naturalists 

 its recognition as the true Podiceps hectorL 



Mr. Travers has so well described the habits of the Crested Grebe from personal observation, 

 that I cannot do better than transcribe a portion of his paper, merely adding that, although I 



* Trans. N.-Z. Instit. 1869, vol. ii. p. 388. 



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