PYGOPODE 



OEDER r 1 VjUrUL'JlO. DIVIXG BIRDS. 



Exclndiug tbe Sphenisci, or Penguins, which may form a group of e(|ual value with 

 Fygopodes, the latter consist of three families, reidily distinguished, as follows : 



Common characters. — Feet palmate or lobate. Legs feathered to tbe heel-joint, buried 

 iu common integument nearly to the same extent, situate far posterior, restricting ter- 

 restrial locomotion, and necessitating more or less nearly erect attitude on land. Hal- 

 lux ele%'ated, free or joined by lobe to base only of inner toe, small or altogether 

 wanting. Bill of indeterminate shape, corneous, not lamellate or serrate, not furnished 

 with a gular pouch. Nostrils variable in shape and position, naked or feathered. 

 Wings short, stiff, stout, never reaching when folded to the end and often not to the 

 base of the tail. Tail always short, sometimes rudimentary. Palate schizognathous. 

 Carotid sometimes single (in Podiceps and Mei-gulus). Tibia often with a long apophy- 

 sis. Sternum variable. Nature altricial or prs3cooial; young ptilopaedic. Habit highly 

 natatorial and iirinatorial. 



Cohjmbidai. — Feet completely palmate, four-toed, the hallux joined by its slight flap 

 to base of inner toe. Tarsi reticulate, extremely cimpressed, with smooth sharp hinder 

 edge. Tibio-tarsal joint feathered. Claws strong, narrow, arched. Bill lengthened, 

 tapering, acute, straight, wholly hard. Tail perfect, of many feathers. Wings %vith 

 stiff inner secondaries much shorter than the primaries, the primaries not emarginate. 

 Lores completely feathered. Nostrils linear, reached by the frontal antise, their upper 

 edge lobate. Eye large. Back of adult spotted ; young not striped on head ; no 

 crests or ruffsat any season. Seasonal changes of plumage slight. Sternum with long, 

 broad xiphoid prolongation and shorter lateral apophyses. A long tibial apophysis. 

 Carotids double. Nature praecoci;il. Eggs few, variegated in color. The very few 

 species confined to the Northern hemisphere. 



Podicipidw. — Feet lobate and semipalmate, four-toed, the hallux free, with large lobe. 

 Tar->i transversely scutellate, compressed, the hinder edge serrate, with a double row 

 of small pointed scales. Til)io-tarsal joint naked. Claws broad, flat, obtuse. Bill 

 usually lengthened and straight, but the tip sometimes decurved. Tail rudimentary— 

 a mere tuft of downy feathers. Wings with long, broad inner secondaries overlying 

 the primaries when closed ; primaries eleven, seveial emarginate. Lores with a naked 

 strip. Nostrils linear, oblong or ovi.l, not lobed, not reached by the frontal feathers. 

 Size medium and small. Back of adult not spotted; young usually with striped 

 head; adults in breeding season usually with lengthened colored crests or ruffs or 

 bristly feathers. Seasonal changes of plumage great. Sternum short in middle line, 

 with long lateral apophyses. A h ng tibial apophysis. Carotids usually (alwayst) 

 single. Nature prsecocial. Eggs numerous, plainly colored. The numerous species 

 cosmopolitan. 



Alcidce. — Feet palmate, three-toed (hallux wanting). Tarsi reticulate or partly scu- 

 tellate. Tibio-tarsal joint naked. Claws ordinary. Bill of wholly indeterminate shape, 

 often much as in Colymhidce or Podicipidw ; often curiously shaped, with various 

 ridges, furrows, or horny protuberances. Tail perfect, of few feathers. Lores com- 

 pletely feathered. Nostrils wholly variable in shape and position, naked or feathered. 

 Legs very variable. Coloration variable : head often with curious long curly crests. 

 Ko tibial apophysis. Usually (always ?) an anconal sesamoid, sometimes double. 

 Carotids usually double (single in MenjnIitH).. Nature altricial. Eggs few or single, 

 plain or variegated. The numerous species confined to the Northern hemisphere. 



As stated at p. 589, the Alcidw — marine species without representatives iu the Mis- 

 souri region — will not be presented in this work, while the Colymbidw and Podicipidw 

 of North America will be treated monographically. The basis of the following account 

 was i^repared by the present writer several ye.ais ago for a report upon which he was 

 then engaged with Dr. George Suekley.* It has, however, been entirely recast for tue 

 present purpose, and is altogether a different ijaper. 



Eamily COLYMBIDW: Loons. 



For diagnosis see above. 



By many modern writers the Loons and Grebes are held as respectively ce-mposing 

 the subfamilies Coli/mhiiice and Podicipinw, of a sin.le family, Coli/mbida; These divi- 

 sions correspond with the Cohjmbi pedibui palmaiis and C. pedibvb lobatis of Gmelin, the 



• An abstract of which was published in the Proceedings of tbe Philadelphia Acad- 

 emy of Natural Sciences for 1862, pp. 226-&33. 



