THE RED-NECKED GREBE. 313 



During winter, not uncommon from New York to Maine. Breeds in the 

 Fur Countries. Accidental in the interior. 



Adult Male. 



Bill about the length of the head, straight, rather slender, compressed, 

 acute. Upper mandible with the dorsal line straight and slightly sloping to 

 the middle, then slightly convex, the ridge convex, the sides sloping, 

 towards the end erect and convex, the edges acute and inflected. Nasal 

 groove extending to the middle of the mandible; nostrils sub-basal, linear- 

 elliptical, pervious. Lower mandible with the angle long and extremely 

 narrow, the dorsal line ascending and straight, the sides erect, slightly 

 convex, the edges sharp, inflected, the tip narrow, very acute. 



Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Neck long and slender. 

 Body depressed. Feet large, placed very far behind; tibia feathered almost 

 to the joint; tarsus short, extremely compressed, anteriorly with a narrow 

 scutellate ridge, laterally with very broad scutella, posteriorly with a narrow 

 ridge having a double row of small prominent scales. Hind toe very small, 

 with an inferior small membrane; fore toes long, the outer longest, scutellate 

 above, united at the base by short webs, externally margined with narrowish, 

 internally with broad, lobe-shaped expansions, which are marked with 

 parallel oblique lines, and crenate on the edges. Claws flattened, that of the 

 middle toe broadest, with an extremely thin, broad terminal edge. 



Plumage of the head and neck very soft and downy, of the breast and 

 sides silky and highly glossed, of the abdomen and rump downy, of the 

 upper parts imbricated, but with loose edges. Wings small; primaries 

 much curved, the first longest, the second almost equal, the inner secondaries 

 extending beyond the first primary when the wing is closed. Tail a small 

 tuft of loose feathers. On the head is a tuft of elongated feathers on each 

 side behind the eye, and those of the posterior part of the cheek are also 

 elongated. 



Bill brownish-black, bright yellow at the base. Iris carmine. Tarsi and 

 toes greenish-black externally, yellow on the inner side, the edges of the 

 lobes dusky. Upper part of the head greyish-black, lower part ash-grey, 

 with a white line from the base of the lower mandible to beyond the eye. 

 Hind part of the neck, and upper parts generally, greyish-black; the feathers 

 edged with pale brown; the edge of the wing and the outer secondaries 

 white. The fore part and sides of the neck rich brownish-red; the breast 

 and sides are of a silvery white, faintly marked with grey. 



Length to end of rump-feathers 18| inches, to end of wings 16^, to end 

 of claws 24; extent of wings 32; wing from flexure 1\\ bill along the back 

 \^2, along the edge of lower mandible 2§; tarsus 2; outer toe 2|-, its claw i. 

 Weight 23 oz. 



Vol. VII. 44 



