PODXCEPS CALIFOKNICUS, AMERICAN EARED GREBE. 735 



obscure. On the breeding grounds, as just said, the Eared Grebes were 

 more plentiful than the Horned, since a majority of the latter breed 

 further north ; but upon the migration, when these come south, the pro- 

 portion is reversed. Both species were to be seen together upon all the 

 water-courses of Northern Dakota when I left the country in the middle 

 of October. I saw nothing notably different in their general habits. 



Other observers have found the "Eared Grebe in full dress, and nest- 

 ing, in various of our western Territories, demonstrating a very general 

 breeding range. Mr. Henshaw has lately taken the eggs in Southern 

 Colorado. He informs us that he found them, in the absence of pa- 

 rents, completely covered over and concealed by reedy material, so that 

 they were discovered by mere accident. The following is his article in 

 the American Naturalist above quoted : 



" In a series of alkali lakes about thirty miles northwest of Fort Gar- 

 land, Southern Colorado, I found this species common and breeding. 

 A colony of perhaps a dozen pairs hod established themselves in a small 

 pond four or five acres in extent. In the middle of this, in a bed of 

 reeds, were found upward of a dozen nests. These in each case merely 

 consisted of a slightly hollowed pile of decaying weeds and rushes, four 

 or iive inches in diameter, and scarcely raised above the surface of the 

 water upon which they floated. In a number of instances they were 

 but a few feet distant from the nests of the Coot {Fulica americana), 

 which abounded. Every Grebe's nest discovered contained three eggs, 

 which in most instances were fresh, but in some nests were consider- 

 ably advanced. These vary but little in shape, are considerably elon- 

 gated, one end being shghtly more pointed than the other. They vary 

 in length from 1,70 to L80, and in breadth 1.18 to 1.33. The color is 

 a taint yellowish-white, usually much stained from contact with the 

 nest. The texture is generally quite smooth, in some instances rough- 

 ened by a chalky deposit. The eggs were wholly concealed from view 

 by a pile of weeds and other vegetable material laid across. That they 

 were thus carefully covered merely for concealment I cannot think, 

 since in the isolated position in which these nests are usually found the 

 bird has no enemy agaiust which such precaution would avail. On first 

 approaching the locality the Grebes all congregated at the further end 

 of the pond, and shortly betook themselves through an opening to the 

 neighboring sloug.h; nor, so far as I could ascertain, did they again ap- 

 proach the nests during mv stay of three days. Is it not, then, possible 

 that they are more or less clependent for the hatching of their eggs upon 

 the artificial heat induced by the decaying vegetable substances of 

 which the nests are wholly composed?" 



Subgenus Tachybaptes, Beicli. 



Bill very short, much less than the head, scarcely over half the tarsus ; stout, little 

 compressed, rather obtuse. Lateral outlines nearly straight; culmen slightly concave 

 at the nostrils, elsewhere convex; commissure straight, except ii little sinuation at 

 base ; under outline straight to angle, gonys thence straight to tip, the angle well de- 

 fined. Wings short, with considerable and abrupt attenuation of the outer iirimaries. 

 Tarsus stout, little over three-fourths the middle toe and claw; outer lateral about equal 

 to the middle toe. Size very small ; body full ; neck short ; no decided crests or ruffs. 

 (Type P. minor : these characters drawn from F. dominicus.) 



This section in a measure connects Fodimps with Fodihjmbus. By G. R. Gray Sylbeo- 

 cjiclus, Bp., is given as founded on P. minor ; but Bonaparte expressly says (Cat. Met. 

 Ucc. 184a, 83) that this was a typographical error, he having intended the name for C. 

 podiceps, Linn. Dr. Sclater has lately called attention to the point (Ibis, Jan. 1874). 

 It may i>e a technical question, however, after all, whether an author must not be held 

 to what he did say, rather than to what he meant to say. 



