PODICEPS AMERICANUS 



151 



covers the eggs of this group of birds is given them in order to 

 strengthen the shell. Shags, when disturbed from their nests, 

 frequently even with this additional protection, break their eggs 

 with their feet, as I have myself witnessed on more occasions 

 than one." 



PYGOPODES 



Family PODICIPEDID^ 

 PODICEPS AMERICA-NUS (Gamot) 



PodicepS americanUS, Lesson et Gamot, Voy. " Goquille,'' ZooL, 



i, p. 599, 1826; Otistalet, Miss. Soi. Gap Horn, Ois., p. 235, 1891. 

 PodicepS ChilensiS, Gould and Darwin, Voy. " Beagle,'' Birds, p. 137, 



1841. 

 PodicepS rollandi {nee Quoy et Gaimard), Durnford, Ibis, p. 45, 1877 



Sclater and Hudson, Argentine Orn., ii, p. 525, 1889. 

 PodicipeS americanUS, Grant, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xxvi, p. 524, 



1898. 



Habitat. — Peru and Bolivia, to Tierra del Fuego. 



$ , Useless Bay Settlement, 2nd Sept. ; (^ San Sebastian Settlement, 

 26tli Sept. ; J^, ? , Useless Bay Settlement, 6th Nov., 1904. 



Iris — crimson ; bill — black ; legs and feet — daik grey, inclining to green. 



The Little Grebe — according to Grant — is chiefly distinguish- 

 able from the nearly-allied P. roll audi of the Falkland Islands 

 by its much smaller size. The total length of this species is 

 about 11.5 inches, as against about 14 inches in P. rollandi. 



The British Museum possesses specimens from Lake Titicaca, 

 in Peru. 



Darwin says of this Grebe : — " Capt. P. King brought home 

 specimens from the salt water channels in Tierra del Fuego, 

 where it is excessively numerous. It often makes a very 

 melancholy cry, which suits the gloomy climate of those 

 desolate shores." 



In my experience this bird is a fresh water form. I have 



21 



