PODICEPS CORNUTUS, HORNED GREBE. 



731 



Until tbo appearance of ^ly article, the present bird was consiclcred identical 

 with that of the Old World. Such, however, is not the case. The ditferences prove 

 to be even more decided and more constant than I at tirst supposed; in ftct, I am 

 almost inclined to hold them as of specific value. The size is uniformly greater ; the 

 bill disproportionately larger, stouter, differently shaped and colored ; the tarsus 

 longer, both absolutely and relatively to the length of the toes ; in fact, so mnch longer 

 as to rather invalidate one of the distinctions I drew between ci'iatatue and ruhricoUis. 



Upon attentive re-examination of the types of Podicepa cooperi, which, in 18C<!, I 

 followed Mr. Lawrence in comparing with cristatus, finding evident distinction from 

 the latter, I am now satisfied that they belong to the American var. lionuilii of griseU 

 geiia. The types were young birds, in very poor preservation, showing little or no dis- 

 tinctive color- marks, while the length of the tarsus, grading into the particular pro- 

 portions of tarsus and toes of cristatus, misled me as to their ijroper position. We have 

 now numerous specimens from the northwest coast, some just like the types, others iu 

 better plumage, showing the reddish of the neck of var. holbolli, and all insciJafable 

 from unquestioned American griscigena. My suspicions were first aroused by detecting 

 on the under parts of the type of cooperi truces of the peculiar dusky mottling charac- 

 teristic of griseigena and Iwlbolli, as contrasted with the pure silky-white of the under 

 parts of cristatus ; when further examination, and especially careful measurements of 

 the feet, led to the above-mentioned result. I append a table of measurements, &c., 

 of various American IwlholU, the types of "cooperi" typical griseigena of Europe, and 

 typical ciistatus. 



*E111 broken. 

 iN'oTE. — The wing is measured with a straight -edge under the border, not over its convexity. Depth 

 of hill at posterior extremity of nostrils. Tarsus in Iront, from protuberimce in middle of tihio-tarsul 

 joint to tbo nick on the skin over the joint of middle toe. Middle toe from the last-named point to end 

 of the claw. 



There aeems to be little doubt tliat P. affinis, Salvaclori, belongs here, to judge from 

 the ]ife-size figure of the head published by Elliot, which is exactly matched by some 

 of the apecimeus of " coope)^^^ before me. 



^PODICEPS CORNUTUS, Lath. — ^^a,-^ - 



Horned Grebe. .■■' ."■'-■ 



Colymhus aiiritus, Linn., partim. ,.'■■■ 



Cuhjmbus dupUvalus, MtJLL., Syst. Nat. 1776, 107. 



Colgmbus cormitus, Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 591.— Nadm., Vcig. Deutschl. ix, 1838, 739, pi. 2J4. 



l'oclice2)s cornutus, hATH.j Ind. Orn. ii, 1'90, 783. — Temm., Man. Orn. 181,'), 466.— BoiE, 

 Isis, 182-2, 561.— Steph., G. Z. xiii, 1835, 9.— Keys. & Blas., "Wirb. Eur.— Gkay, 

 Gen. of B. iii, 633.— Schl., M. P.-B. ix, 36.— Bp., Syn. 1828, 417 ; List, 1838,65.— 

 Sw. & EiCH., F. B. Am. ii, 1831, 411.— Nutt., Man. ii, 1834, 254.— Auc, Orn. 

 Biog. iii, 1835, 429, pi. 259 ; Syn. 1839, 357 ; B. Am. vii, 1844, 316, pi. 4'^1.— 

 GiR., B. L. I. 1844. 381.— L.iW]!., B. N. A. 1858, 895.— CooP. & Suck., N. H. 

 Wash. Ter. 1860, 281.— Codes, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1862, 231.— Dall & Banx., Tr. 

 Cbic. Acad. 1869, 208.— Fiksch, Abh. Nat. iii, 1872, 76.— Coues, Key, 1872, 

 337.— Snow, B. Kaus. 1873, 12 ; and of authors generally. 



Dytcs cornutus, Kaup, Sk. Eut. Eur. Thierw. 1829, 41. 



