336 



PODICIPIDiE, GREBES. GEN. 312-4. 



312-4. Genus PODICEPS Latham. 



* Large, with very long neck ; bill very slender and sharp-pointed, longer than 



the head, straight or almost recurved ; tarsus as long as the middle toe and claw. 



No colored rufts at any season ? {JEclimopliorus.) 



u ^ Westeni Grebe. Length about 30 ; extent 36 ; wing 8-9 ; bill and tarsus, 



each about 3. Above, blackish-gray, with paler edges of the feathers, 



blackening on the hind neck and top of the 

 head, the loral region gray ; quills ashy- 

 brown, bases of the primaries and most of 

 the secondaries white ; below, from bill to 

 tail, pure silky white, with dark touches 

 on the sides ; bill obscurely olivaceous, 

 brighter along the edges and at tip. Adult 

 Fig. 2u. Western Grebe. in the breeding season with a short occipital 



crest, and sliglit indications of a ruff; but no brightly colored feathers on the 

 head or neck as yet observed. Pacific Coast, U. S., abundant. P. occidentalis 

 Lawr. in Bd. , 894 ; ^climojphoru^ occidentalis Coues, I. c. 229. occidentalis. 

 (j^ Var. CLARKii. Similar ; loral region white ; bill bright yellow, the ridge black, 

 shorter, slenderer, extremely acute and almost recurved ; smaller ; length 2 feet or 

 less; wing 7; tarsus 2f ; bill 2i. Same habitat. Lawr. in Bd., 895; Codes, 

 I. c. 229 and 404. *.^* The foregoing species has been united with the ordinary 

 bird of Central and South America (P. major, cayennensis, bicornis and leucopterus) 

 by Dr. Schlegel. This seems premature, but it may be required if occidentalis 

 proves to assume the red neck and other coloration of major. 



** Medium, with moderately long neck; bill not longer than the head, shorter 

 than the tarsus, moderately stout and acute ; tarsus shorter than the middle toe 

 and claw. Conspicuous crests, ruffs or tufts, in the breeding season. {Pocliceps.) 

 Crested Grebe. Tarsus equal to the middle toe without its claw ; bill 

 equal to the head, about | the tarsus ; crests and ruff highly developed. 

 About 24 ; extent 34 ; wing 7J-8i ; bill 2-2J ; tarsns 2J-2|. Adult : throat 

 and sides of head white changing to brownish-red on the ruff, which is tipped 

 with black; fore part and sides of neck like the ruff; top of head and long 

 occipital tufts dark brown, as are the upper parts generally, the feathers of 

 the back pale-edged; primaries brown, part of them and nearly all the 

 secondaries white ; under parts silky silvery white, witliout dai-k mottling, 

 but the sides dark-marked. Young: without any lengthened colored feathers 

 on the head or neck. N. Am. at large ; U. S. in winter, but not nearl}' so 

 common as the next species. Sw. and Rich., F. B.-A, ii, 419; Nutt., ii, 

 250; AuD., vii, 308, pi. 479; Lawr. in Bd., 893. P. cooperi Id., ibid.; 

 Coues, Proc. Phila. Acad. 1862, 230. 9P. affinis Salvadori ; Elliot, 



Introd. No. 98, with figure of head CKISTAtus. 



lied-neched Grebe. Tarsus about | the middle toe and claw ; bill little 



\pi shorter than tarsus; crests and ruff moderately developed. Medium; length 



about 18 ; wing 7-8 ; bill 1|, to nearly 2 ; tarsus 2 ; middle toe and claw 2|. 



Adult : front and sides of the neck rich brownish-red ; throat and sides of 



