PODICrPID^, GREBES. GEN. 312-4. 337 



head ashy, whitening where it joins the dark color of the crown, the feathers 

 slightly ruffed ; top of head with its slight occipital crests, upper parts 

 generally, and wings, as in the last species, but much less white on the inner 

 quills; lower parts pale silvery-ash, with dark sides (not pure white, but 

 watered or obscurely mottled, sometimes oljviously speckled, with dusky) ; 

 bill black, more or less yellow at base. The young will be recognized by 

 these last characters, joined with the peculiar dimensions and proportions. 

 N. Am. ; common in the U. S. in winter. P. rubricollis Sw. and ErcH., F. 

 B.-A. ii, 411 ; Nutt., ii, 253 ; Aud., vii, 312, pi. 480 ; P. griseigena Laavr. 

 in Bd., 892; P. holbulli Eeinhaedt ; Coues, I. c. 231. Our bird appears 

 to differ constantly from the European in being larger, with the bill dispro- 

 portionately large, and differentlj^ colored. . griseigena var. holbollii. 



Horned Grebe. Tarsus about equal to the middle toe without its claw ; 

 bill much shorter than head, little more than half the tarsus, compressed, 

 higher than wide at the nostrils, rather obtuse ; crests and ruffs highly devel- 

 oped. Small ; length about 14 ; extent 24 ; wing 6 or less ; l)ill about f ; 

 tarsus IJ. Adult : above, dark brown, the feathers paler-edged ; below, 

 silvery-white, the sides mixed dusky and reddish ; most of the secondaries 

 white ; fore neck and upper breast brownish-red ; head glossy black, including 

 the ruff; a broad band over the eye, to and including the occipital crests, 

 brownish-yellow ; bill black, yellow-tipped. The young differ as in other 

 species, but are alwaj's recognizable by the above measurements and propor- 

 tions of parts. N. Am., abundant. Sw. and Kich., F. B.-A. ii, 411 ; Nutt., 

 254; Aud., vii, 316, pi. 481 ; Lawr. in Bd., 895 cornutus. 



Eared Grebe. Proportions substantially the same as in the last species ; 

 size rather less ; bill shorter and more acute, depressed, wider than high at 

 the nostrils. Adult : above, blackish-brown, the feathers with scarcely or 

 not paler edges ; below silky-white, reddish along the sides ; all the prima- 

 ries chocolate-brown, most of the secondaries white ; head and neck all 

 round black, the auriculars lengthened into a rich golden-brown tuft, but no 

 obvious crests or ruff. Young : known from the last by the different shape of 

 the bill. Arctic America, chiefly western ; common in the Pacific States in 

 winter; has not been observed in the Atlantic States. P. auritus Nutt., 

 ii, 256; Aud., vii, 322, pi. 482; P. californicus Heermann, Proc. Phila. 

 Acad. 1855, 179, and Pac. K. E. Eept. x. Gala. Eoute, pi. 8 (young) ; 

 Lawk, in Bd., 896 ; Coues, I. c. 231. All the American specimens I have 

 seen, differ from the European ones examined, in having less white on 

 the wings auritus var. californicus. 



*** Very small ; bill much shorter than the head, f or less of the tarsus ; 

 tarsus about f the middle toe and claw. No colored crests or ruffs. {Sylbeocyclus.) 

 1^/ V 8t. Domingo Grebe. Adult: top of head deep glossy steel-blue; rest of 

 head and neck ashy-gray, deepest behind, the throat with whitish ; upper 

 parts brownish-black, with greenish gloss ; primaries chocolate-brown, 

 a great part of most of them, and all the secondaries, pure white ; under 

 parts silky-white thickly mottled with dusky. Length 9J ; wing 3| ; bill | ; 



KEY TO N. A. BIRDS. 43 



