252 AVES. 



greater nuiiiliLT of tlieni arc also feeljle ilyerr<. ami several are (|u,ite dfpiived of tliat faculty, in 

 consequence of the shortness of their uiuj^s, tliey raay be regarded as exclusively attached to the 

 surface of the water : their plumage is particularly dense, and its surface frequently polished, 

 presenting a silvery lustre. They swim under water by tlie aid of their wings, -which are 

 employed as fius. Their gizzard is tolerably muscular; the coeca of moderate length. They 

 have only one specud muscle ou each siilc nf their lower larvnx. ISuch are 



Tiii^ Loons [Cohjinbu.s, Lm.), — 

 \A'liicli arc charartei'izcd by a smooth, straight, compressed, and jminrnl lull, \\\t\i linear nosti"!'.^; ; but 

 requu'e to be subdivided from characters derived from the feet [the eiUirc skeleton, character of 

 plumage, propagation, \c. iS.e.] 



Tuii: CiREBETS {Podiceps, Latham ; Coh/mhiis, Brisson and Ilhgerj, — 

 Instead of orduiary webs between the toes, liave tlie latter wiiiened as in the Coots, and the anterior 

 cunnoL'tcd oiil\ at liase liy membranes, [whieh Imnlrr tlie reauaindcr]. Tiie elaw of the middle toe is 

 flattened ; the tarsi exceedingly compressed. The semi-metallic [or satiny] 

 lustre of their lower plumage has led to the occasional employment of it as 

 fur. Their tibia, as also that of the Lnons [in which it is maeli more pro- 

 duced,] is prolonged forwards beyond tlie joint, to give a more efficient 

 insertion to the extensors of the leg. [Sternum (lig. 123)* very bhort, 

 and of p;.'Ciihar conformation, approaching in sonie respects to that of 

 the Cornmraiits : whirli these very siitgular birds also resemble in the 

 character of tlirir eggs, the liard bhcU nf which is invested with an ab- 

 sorbent chalky substance. They have no vestige of a tail. T!ic yonng are 

 clad in exquisitely soft down, whieh is striped hhtek ami white, as in the 

 Emeu. The constant nnmher of cer\n'al \i'rtelir;e is nineteen instead of 

 tliirteen, as in the re^tiieted Loons ; and their skeleton is altogether 

 lAireniely diliereut.] 



These birds reside in lakes and ponds, and nestle among the rushes, 

 [producing numerous eggs, whereas the Loons lay very rarely more than 

 two]. It appears that under certain circumstances they carry their young 

 under their wings. Their size and plumage change so much with age [the 

 according to season], that naturalists liuve very nuieli niul!i|ilii-d tlie species. ]\I. Meyer 

 reduces those of Eiirn|.e to four, [instead nf h\i', which is the right nniulicr, as follow] ; — 



The Crested (J relic (/'. rr/'.s/f//".v).— As lar-'c as a Dink, and satiny-^^Mtr, \mi|i dn>ky iii-per-parts, acquirin,^ with 

 age a double black <ic-,t, ;nid rufuus collar ed;,n'd with black, [\*hieh t-\i:^t ou\) duiin;; the breeding season]. 

 The Red-necked ( i relic i /'. rnOrico/l/a). — Smaller, with the neck bri^dit rufuus, and greyish collar less developed. 

 The Horned Grcl>c 1 1', rona/fiis) ("and Eared Grebe (P. a if rif us). —Stiii less, and, precisely of the same size with 

 each other, >■<> Ibar tlu'V can only be distinguished, when the seasonal collar falls, by the beak of the second being 

 distinctly a little recurved, and by a difl'erence in the colour of the iris of the recent specimen ; their collars, how- 

 ever, durin;; the breeding season, are very dillerent, and that of the Eared Grel>e is less developed than in the 

 other]. 



The Little Gret>e (P. w/;;or).— Size of a Qnrnl. with never any crest "v colhir. [These various species, notwith- 

 standing the shortness of their win^s, can lly with ciiiiMderable speed, wbcii Hicy (uire fairh rise, which they do 

 with uuwillini^mess, and seldom except v\!ieLi i-itiii|)clled to nii.i^Tate. The', can \Milk willi their feet, and do not 

 trail upon tlie bell^ , like the Luuns ; and when uuder water, they make more ui^e uf their wings than the latter do 

 habitually]. 



Tur: EiNFEET {lleUorms, Bonaterre ; Podoa, Illiger) — 

 Have feet hjticd as in the Coots and Grebes, but their tail is more developed than in either, and their 

 claws sharper. 



Such is Plains buriiiamcii.-iis, Gmelin ; and Ildioi-r.is scnc^alouls, Vieillot, wbieh Gnielin approximated to the 

 Anhingas. 



The Loons {Cohimhus, Latham; Mergus, Brisson; EuJijles, Illiger), — 

 With all the [external] form of the Grebes, have the feet webbed in the ordinary manner; tliat is 

 to say, their three frunt toes arc connected by membrane to the tips, ami are all terminated by 



on [fij;. e23), ill utlicr ruspecis a 



