378 



BRITISH BIKDS. 



1. Colymbiformes. 



Grebes and Divers. 



The Grebes and Divers call for little comment here : they are 

 included in the two families Poclicipedidui and Colymhid.e 

 respectively. Of these we need only deal with the first 

 mentioned. 



The Grehi:!t (Podici2Jeduhf) are characterised by their short 

 wings, with the first three prunary feathers nearly equal and the 

 longest in the wing, by the absence of any tail, by the elongated 

 conical form of the bill, and by the structure of the foot, which 

 is known as a "split-swimming foot" (fig. 215). This form 



Fig. 215.— SrnT-SwijiMiNt; l-'tiOT OF GiiEBE {Podwci'S finfiatili.^). 



of foot as seen in the Grebe,s has three toes in front and one 

 behind, the three front toes much flatteneii, united together at 

 the base, and edged with lobate Avobbing ; the hind too is also 

 flattened, while the claws are large and flat. The br.-^t-lcnown 

 British species is — 



'I'he Dahrhirk or Litth; (Jrchc {Podirppa jl ii rial ili>!).— The 

 little grebe is widely distributed over England, and niaj' be seen 



