BTEDS COLTMBIDAE — PODICEPS CRI8TATUS. 



893 



The American bird has been separated from the Ked-necked G-rebe of Europe by Eeinhardt, 

 under the name of holbolli, principally on account of its being somewhat larger. On comparing 

 specimens obtained here with European specimens of " rubricollis," ours appear somewhat 

 larger, and generally with a longer bill ; but in this family individuals vary much in size. The 

 bills of the specimens of " rubricollis" from Europe measured 1| inches ; in ours they ranged 

 from If to 2 inches. 



Writers differ as to their being specifically distinct, and as I am not able to make out satis- 

 factorily that they are so, shall for the present consider them the same. 



List of specimens. 



PODICEPS OEISTATUS, Lath. 



The Crested Grebe. 



Cqlynibus cristatus, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 222. 



Podieeps cristatus, Lath. Ind. Orn. 1790.— Rich. & Sw. F. B. A. II, 1831, 410 — Nctt. Man. II, 1834, 250.— Ann. 



Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 595 ; pi. 292 — Ib. Birds Am. VII, 1844, 308 ; pi. cccdxxix. 

 Colymbus urinator, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 323. 



Sp. Ch Mult. Front, upper part of the head, and long occipital tufts dark umber brown, the base of the tufts brownish 



red 3 the ruff is bright brownish red on the upper portion immediately under the tufts and anteriorly, on the hind part brownish 

 black ; upper plumage dark umber brown ; humeral feathers white ; primaries umber brown ; secondaries mostly white ; throat 

 and sides of the head white ; fore part and sides of the neck adjoining the ruff brownish red ; under plumage silvery white ; 

 sides dusky, tinged with reddish brown ; bill blackish brown, linged with carmine ; bare loral space dusky green ; iris bright 

 cariuine ; tarsi and feet greenish black externally, greenish yellow internally ; webs greyish blue. 



Length, 23| inches ; wing, 7i ; bill, 2j5g ; tarsus, 2|. 



Young. Upper part of head dark brown ; hind neck brownish grey ; back and wings brownish black ; humeral feathers 

 white ; primaries dark umber brown on the outer webs, paler on the inner ; lower parts silvery white, sides brown ; upper 

 mandible brownish black, pale at the end and yellow on the sides at the base ; lower mand)ble -yellow with the sides dusky, 



flo6.— Atlantic States from Nova Scotia southward ; Texas in winter ; fur countries. Pacific side of the continent ; Wash- 

 ington Territory. 



Two specimens of the young are in the collection ft-om Shoalyater bay, W. T. These have 

 larger and stronger bills than the adult bird sent me by Prof. Baird from his cabinet, and of 

 two adult specimens in my collection, in one specimen. No. 4499, measuring 2^ inches along 

 the ridge, the adult having it but 2^, (the measure given by Audubon is 2 inches) ; the 

 outline of the lower mandible from the aingle to the point is concave, whereas in the adult it is 

 a little rounding, but they have one of the strongest characteristics of this species, the white 

 humeral feathers. It may, possibly, be a closely allied, but distinct species. This can only be 

 satisfactorily determined by obtaining it in spring plumage. 



Both the above specimens were obtained by Dr. J. Gr. Cooper, and if future research should 

 prove it to be distinct, I propose for it the specific name of cooperi, in honor of its discoverer. 



