196 
THE RED-KECKED GREBE. 
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 par- 
allel 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 seconda- 
ries 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 fea- 
thers edged with pale brown ; the edge of the wing and the outer seconda- 
ries 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 181 inches, to end of wings '16£, to end 
of claws 24 ; extent of wings 32 ; wing from flexure 73 ; bill along the back 
1 , 8 , along the edge of lower mandible 21 ; tarsus 2 ; outer toe 2J, its claw 3. 
Weight 23 oz. 
