230 
PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP 
Genus II. Podiceps Latham. 
Colymbus , Briss. 1760, nec. Linn, et auct. 111. 1811 ; Pall. 1811. 
Podiceps , Lath. 1790 ; (typus Col. cristatus, Linn.) nec Kaup. 1829. 
Pedetaithya, Kaup. 1829 ; typus Col. griseigena, Budd. 1783.) 
. Lophafthyia, Kaup. 1829; (typus Col. cristatus , Linn. Podiceps , Lath. 1790.) 
Bytes , Kaup. 1829; (typus Col. cornutus , Gmel.) 
Pr octopus, Kaup. 1829 ; (typus Col. auritus.) 
Otodytes, Reichenbach, 1853; (typus idem.) 
Gen. Char. Bill moderately stout ; usually more or less compressed ; as 
long as, or rather shorter than, the head ; not equalling the tarsus. Culmen 
convex, occasionally nearly or quite straight. Commissure about straight. 
Tarsus shorter than the middle toe and claw. Outer lateral but little, if any, 
longer than the middle toe. Body depressed, moderately full ; head always 
with more or less conspicuous crests and ruffs. 
Although the characters of the genus are drawn so as to exclude both the 
foregoing and succeeding genus, the North American species comprised in it, 
are sufficiently dissimilar in form to have caused the instituting of several 
subgenera. These may be characterized and arranged as follows : — 
A. Tarsus v equal to the middle toe without the claw. 
I. Bill equal to the head, four-fifths the tarsus. Bill 
much compressed, lateral outlines a little con- 
cave. Crests and ruffs very long and conspicu- 
ous . % Podiceps, Lath. 
II. Bill much shorter than the head, but little more 
than half the tarsus. 
1. Bill compressed, higher than broad at the nos- 
trils ; crests and ruffs, especially the latter, very 
long and full Bytes, Kaup. 
2. Bill depressed, broader than high at the nostrils ; 
crests and ruffs more moderate.. Proctopus, Kaup. 
B. Tarsus about four-fifths the middle toe and claw. 
III. Bill variable in length, always quite stout ; outer 
lateral but little longer than the middle toe ; 
crests and ruffs rather short... Pedetaithya, Kaup. 
1. Podiceps cristatus Latham. 
Colymbus cristatus, Linn. 1766; Pall. 1811 ; 111. 1811. C. urinator, Linn. 
1766, juv. Podiceps crist. Lath. 1790, et auct. 
Habitat. Europa ; Amer. Sept. 
2. Podiceps Cooperi Lawrence. 
Sp. Char. Bill large and strong, as long as the head, very stout at the 
base, the tip very acute and considerably decurved. Upper mandible with 
the culmen very slightly concave on the basal half, the terminal portion re- 
gularly convex. Commissure irregularly sinuate to the nostrils, then regu- 
larly decurved, the radius of curvature decreasing towards the tip. Lower 
mandible without a groove along the symphysis of the rami beyond the 
angle, the tip decurved and very acute. Lower outline concave, both ante- 
rior and posterior to the angle, which is prominent and marked ; the con- 
cavity is very decided in the former. First and second primaries longest, 
third but little shorter. Tarsi and toes as in P. cristatus. 
Young. Upper mandible dusky, except the tip and extreme base, which 
are yellowish, as is also the lower mandible, except a central dusky greenish 
space. No white space between eye and nostril. Slight indications of a 
crest, but none at all of a ruff. Crown, and median dorsal line of neck, deep 
blackish brown, darkest on the former. Upper parts brownish black, darkest 
on the scapulars and lower part of the back, all the feathers, especially an- 
