280 
ZOOLOGY. 
largest on the tertiarles ; quill feathers and tail blackish brown, the latter edged with white; sides of the neck white, 
speckled minutely with gray ; under plumage silky white, crossed on the lower part of the abdomen by a dusky band ; bill 
bluish gray, dusky on the ridge and flesli colored at the base. Length, 20 inches ; extent, 30 ; iris blood red. 
Hih --During the winter a? far south as Maryland ; inhabits as far north as the Arctic seas ; found also on the Pacific 
coast. 
On the 20th of March, 1855, I obtained at Fort Dalles, Oregon, an immature bird, which 
seemed to be of this species. Another was procured by Mr. Gibbs at Port Townsend, Puget 
Sound. 
From the joint ob'servations of Dr. Cooper and myself, it seems probable that the different 
species of loons, as well as the grebes, are several years in acquiring their perfect adult 
plumage. 
Another individual which I obtained at New Dungeness, Straits of Fuca, I had an excellent 
opportunity of examining at a time it was attempting to escape from a shallow lagoon to the 
open water of the straits by swimming through the narrow outlet. Although slightly wounded, 
it moved so rapidly that I was obliged to run as fast as I could to keep up with it. At the 
same time, as the water was clear and shallow, I was able to watch its motions distinctly. It 
had the head and neck extended nearly perfectly straight, the bill acting as a "cut-water," 
and, in addition to the ordinary propulsion by the feet, used the wings exactly as if flying. 
Indeed, the bird was flying through water instead of air. This habit is probably common to 
all the Colymbidae. — S. 
Sub-Family PODICIPINAE.— Th e Grebes. 
PODICEPS CRISTATUS, (Linn.) Lath. 
Grested Grebe. 
Colymbus cristaWs, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 222. 
Fodiceps crisialus, Lath. Ind. Oni. 1790.— Rich, k Sw. F. B. A. II, IS^M. 410 — Nutt. Man. II, 1834, 250.— Aud. Orn. 
Biog. Ill, 1835, 595; pi. 292.— Ib. Birds Am. VII, 1844, 308; pi. cccclxxix. -Baied & Law- 
BENCE, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 893, vnr.? co'-peri, 891. 
Sp. Cn — Adult: Front, upper part of the head, and long occipital tufts dark umber brown, the base of the tufts brownish 
red ; 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 
■VN'hite ; throat aud sides of the head white ; fcie part and sides of the neck adjoining the ruff brownish red ; under plumage 
silvery white ; sides dusky, tinged with reddish brown; bill blackish brown, tinged with carmine ; bare loral space dusky 
green ; iris bright carmine; tarsi and feet greenish black externally, greenish yellow internally ; webs grayish blue. 
Length, 19 to 20.50 inches ; extent, 33 to 34 ; wing, 7J ; bill, 2J-|j : tarsus, 2^. Female smallest. 
Young: Upper part of head dark brown ; hind neck brownish gray ; 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 mandible yellow, with the sides dusky ; 
feet black, greenish yellow on inner side ; iris brown. 
Hab. — Atlantic States from Nova Scotia southward ; Texas in winter ; fur countries, Pacific side of the continent ; Wash- 
ington Territory. 
In the notes on P. occidentalis I have noticed all I remarked of this species. On the only 
occasion when I saw them they were with the others, which they so closely resembled in 
appearance that at a distance they were scarcely distinguishable. I could see also no difference 
in their cries or habits at that season, and never saw them at any other time or place. Al- 
though killed late in March, both species were in the immature plumage, as were the many 
specimens of the three species I obtained in the Territory at almost all seasons, except summer, 
when they all disappear. — C. 
