THE PIED-BILLED DOBCHICK. 327 



impressions after the birds had plunged into the water from them. The 

 young differ in colour from the adult, but the old males and females resemble 

 each other, only the former are larger. 



Podiceps carolinensis, Bonap. Syn., p. 418. 



Podiceps carolinensis, Pied-bill Grebe, Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. ii. p. 412. 

 Pied-bill Doechick, Podiceps carolinensis, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 259. 

 Pied-bill Dobchick, Podiceps carolinensis, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 359; vol. v. p. 

 624. 



Male, 14, 23. 



Extremely common in autumn on all our Western streams, as well as 

 those of the Atlantic Districts. In winter in the Southern States, as far as 

 Texas. Breeds on the Wabash, and other streams of the interior, to Maine. 

 Migratory. 



Adult Male. 



Bill shorter than the head, stout, deep, compressed, tapering. Upper 

 mandible with the dorsal line nearly straight at the base, curved towards the 

 end, the ridge slightly flattened for a short space at the base, narrow in the 

 rest of its extent, the sides convex towards the end, the edges sharp, inflected, 

 the tip obtuse, a little decurved. Nasal groove broad, and extending beyond 

 the middle of the mandible; nostrils elliptical, lateral, sub-medial, pervious. 

 Lower mandible with the angle long and narrow, the sides nearly erect, but 

 convex, the dorsal line very short and sloping upwards, the edges inflected, 

 the tips narrow, the gap-line nearly straight. 



Head rather small, oblong, compressed; neck rather long; body depressed. 

 Feet placed far behind, short, stout; tibia bare for a very short space below; 

 tarsus short, much compressed, thin before and behind, anteriorly scutellate, 

 on the sides with large scutelliform scales, posteriorly rough, with a double 

 row of very small scales. Hind toe very small and situated high; fourth toe 

 longest, third a little shorter, second much shorter; anterior toes connected 

 by webs, which beyond the second joint are slit and rounded, the outer edges 

 of the second and fourth furnished with broad lobed membranes; the lobes 

 are marked with parallel grooves, directed a little forwards. Claws of fore 

 toes depressed, that of middle toe resembling a human nail. 



Plumage blended, on the forehead with stiff enlarged shafts, as in the 

 Rails, on the back shining and rather hard, as well as on the lower part of 

 the neck anteriorly and laterally, on the rest of the lower parts glossy and 

 hair-like. Wings very small; primary quills curved, the second longest, 

 first slightly shorter, third longer than first; secondary short, broad, rounded, 

 the inner elongated and more tapering. Tail a slight tuft of loose feathers. 



Bill pale blue, upper mandible dusky along the ridge, and with the lower 



