84 BIRDS OF BRITISH OFIAXA. 



British Museum obtained by Messrs. Quelch and McConnell 

 on tlie Great Savannas in 1898, and presented by them to that 

 institution. 



Breedinci-^eason. Unknown in British Guiana. 



J^est. The nest is the same as that of the other species of the 

 family ; it floats on the water among the reeds, rising and falling 

 with the tide [Sclwmburgk) . 



Eggs. "Two eggs form the clutch" (^Schomhiiyk). 



Mange in B)'it{sh Guiana. Great Savannas {I^rifish Museum). 



Extralimital Range. Tropical portion of South America. 



Habits. According to Schomburgk (Reis. Guian. iii. p. 765) 

 this bird lives in small flocks in the Savannah swamps and on 

 the coast, but is never found on the rivers. It is an expert 

 diver. The nest is the same as that of the other species of the 

 family ; it floats on the water among the reeds, rising and 

 falling with the tide. Two eggs form the clutch. 



Genus PODILYMBUS Lesson. 



Podilymhus Lesson, Traite d'Orn. p. 595, 1831. Tj'pe P. podicejys 

 (Linn.). 



This genus is founded chiefly on the short thick bill, which is 

 curved downwards at the tip, the oval nostrils^ and the bristly 

 feathers on the forehead. 



51. Podilymbus podiceps. 



Pjed-billed Grebe. 



Fodihjmhiis podiceps (Linn.), Syst. Xat. i. p. 136, 1758 ("America 

 septentrionali ") ; Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxvi. p. 553, 

 1S9S ; Brabom-ne & Chubb, B. S. Amer. i. p. 28, no. 276, 1912. 



Adult male. General colour above dusky brown, ineludino- the 

 head, wings, and back ; sides of face more grey ; hind-neck 

 black ; sides of neck and fore-neck jiale brown ; chin and throat 

 black ; breast and abdomen silky white ; upper breast, sides of 

 body, and flanks brown intermixed with white. 



Total length 205 mm., culmen 24, Aving 131, tarsus 42. 



Adult female. Similar to the adult male. Wing 123 mm. 



Young in doicn. Upper surface and sides of body brown, more 

 or less mixed with white ; under surface dull white ; head, throat. 



