894 U. S. P. R. R. EXP AND SURVEYS— —ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. No. 
Locality. 
Whence obtained. 
Orig. No. 
Collected by— 
Length. 
Wing. 
1958 
4409 
4500 
Atlantic coast 
S. F. Baird 
J. J. Audubon 
23.50 
7.75 
-do 
do 
Cab. of Geo. N.Lawrence. 
do 
967 
968 
Shoal water bay 
Gov. I. I. Stevens 
Dr. Cooper 
23. 00 
21. 00 
7.75 
7 50 
do 
do 

do 
PODICEPS OCCIDENT ALLS, Lawrence. 
The Western Grebe. 
g P . Ch. — Winter. Upper part of the head and nape fuliginous black ; back and wing coverts greyish black, the feathers 
margined with grey ; primaries light sshy brown, darker at the end and white at base ; secondaries white, marked witli ash on 
the outer wets ; in some specimens the middle secondaries are pure white ; space between the bill and the eye grey ; throat, 
sides of the neck, and entire under plumage silvery white ; sides marked with greyish black ; bill dusky, appearing ntarly 
black in the dried specimens, except on the cutting edges and at the end, where it is yellow ; iris orange ; tarsi and feet appear 
to have been greyish black externally and flesh color internally. 
Length, 29 inches ; extent of wings, 36 ; wing from carpal joint, 81 ; bill, 3 ; tarsus, 3. 
Halt. Pacific coast from Washington Territory to California. 
There are six specimens in the collection, differing considerably in size, which I consider as 
being specifically the same. They vary in length from 24 to 29 inches. Three of them 
measure, respectively, 27, 28, and 29 inches. In the ahove account I have given the dimensions 
of the largest one, as they were taken from the specimen while fresh. It is very superior in 
size to P. cristcdus, and, judging from analogy, it is fair to infer that in its nuptial attire it 
makes a grand display. In this plumage its acquisition is very desirable. 
The bill is quite different from that of " cristatus," being much longer, straighter, and 
relatively narrower. In some of the specimens it is quite slender. 
On one of the specimens was a label with the MS. name of " occidentalis," which, being a 
very suitable one, I have adopted. 
This is the largest known species of this genus, and its discovery is one of the important 
scientific results of connecting natural history explorations with the government expeditions. 
Specimen No. 9544 resembles " clarhii" rather more than the others, not differing much from 
it in size and the color of the back ; but, having the bill dark colored, and being grey (not 
white) between the eye and the bill, I have labelled it as belonging to this species. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. 
No. 
Locality. 
When col- 
lected. 
Whence obtained. 
Orig. 
No. 
Collected by — 
Length. 
Stretch 
of wing. 
Wing. 
Remarks. 
9927 
4497 
4498 B 
9925 1 
9928 
9544 
9926 
Bodega, Cal. 
Feb. 1855 
24. 00 
28.00 
7. 50 
8. 50 
Gov. Stevens 
Dr. Cooper 
Ft.Steilacoom,W.T. 
Puget's Sound 
Apl. 21, '5G 
Oct. 12, '57 
Oct. 10, '56 
I)r. Suckley 
Gov. Stevens 
320 
500 
Dr. Suckley 
29. 00 
36. 00 
8. 36 
IridSjflame r'd. 
Irids, orange. 
Dr. Kennerly.. 
7. 50 
8.00 
Dr. Suckley 
27. 00 
1 Bill dusky green above, greenish yellow on sides ; outside of feet and tarsi dusky green, inside pale dingy greenish 
yellow. Bill to angle of mouth 3.75 ; tarsus, 3.50. 
