Part 167

Red-throated Diver, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 519.

Red-throated Diver, Colymbus septentrionalis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 20; v. v. p. 625.

GENUS II. PODICEPS, Lath. GREBE.

Bill about the length of the head, or shorter, straight, rather stout, much compressed, tapering, pointed; upper mandible with the dorsal line declinate and more or less convex toward the end, the ridge convex, the sides erect and somewhat convex, the edges sharp and inflected, the tip narrow; nasal groove rather long, extending to nearly half the length of the mandible, feathered at the base; nostrils linear-elliptical, basal, rather small, pervious; lower mandible with the angle long and extremely narrow, the dorsal line ascending and straight, the sides erect and slightly convex, the edges sharp and involute, the tip acute. Head of moderate size, oblong, narrowed before; neck rather long and slender; body long, depressed. Feet short, large, placed close to the extremity of the body; tibia feathered to the joint; tarsus extremely compressed, its anterior edge with a row of small scutella, the sides broadly scutellate, the posterior ridge with a double row of small prominent scales; toes four, first very small, with a posterior membrane, fourth longest, all scutellate, the anterior connected at the base by membranes, and having on both sides an expanded web-like margin, marked with oblique lines. Claws flat, that of the third toe broadest. Plumage very soft and blended, on the lower parts dusky. Wings small acute, curved, the second primary longest, the first little shorter; secondaries short and rounded. Tail a slight tuft of loose feathers, fourteen in number. Tongue slender, trigonal, pointed; œsophagus of moderate width; proventriculus very large, ovate; stomach extremely large, roundish, its muscular coat thin; the epithelium thick, soft, rugous; a small pyloric sac; intestine of moderate length and width; cœca rather long, slender; cloaca very large, globular. Bronchi with the rings entire and ossified.

487. 1. Podiceps cristatus, Lath. Crested Grebe.

Plate CCXCII. Male and Female.

Male with the bill about the length of the head, rather slender, blackish-brown, tinged with carmine; feet greenish-black, tinged with greyish-blue; tail of fourteen feathers; two tufts of elongated feathers on the occiput, and a large frill on the sides and anterior part of the neck; upper part of head and tufts greyish-black, tinged with green, as is the hind part of the ruff, its anterior part being brownish-red; sides of the head and throat white; fore neck white, tinged with brown; breast silvery-white, sides reddish-brown, with dusky streaks; upper parts brownish-black, the feathers edged with lighter, the sides of the neck tinged with reddish, as is the rump; wing-coverts greyish-brown; primary quills brownish-black, middle secondaries, inner webs of their coverts, and outer webs of outer scapulars, white. Female with the occipital feathers a little elongated, but without the ruff; bill dusky green, upper part of head and hind neck blackish-grey; back and wings as in the male, but more tinged with grey; lower parts silvery-white, the sides dusky.

Male, 24, 33.

Not uncommon during autumn and early spring on all the larger streams of the Western Country, as well as on the coast of the Atlantic, from Nova Scotia to Texas. Breeds in the mountainous parts of the Fur Countries, Rocky Mountains, and high latitudes. Migratory.

Podiceps cristatus, Bonap. Syn. p. 417.

Podiceps cristatus, Crested Grebe, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 410.

Crested Grebe or Gannet, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 250.

Crested Grebe, Podiceps cristatus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 598.

488. 2. Podiceps rubricollis, Lath. Red-necked Grebe.

Plate CCXCVIII. Adult Male, and Young in winter.

Male with the bill about the length of the head, rather slender, brownish-black, yellow at the base; tarsi and toes greenish-black externally, yellow on the inner side; two tufts of elongated feathers behind the eye; feathers on the hind part of the cheeks also elongated; upper part of 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 neck, and upper parts generally, greyish-black, the feathers edged with paler; edges of wings and outer secondaries white; fore part and sides of neck rich brownish-red; breast and sides silvery-white, faintly marked with grey. Young, in winter, with the bill bright yellow, its ridge dusky; feet as in the adult; upper part of head blackish-grey; hind neck and upper parts of the same colour, darker towards the end; edge of wing and outer secondaries greyish-white, the latter grey towards the end; lower parts greyish-white.

Male, 18-3/4, 32.

During winter, not uncommon from New York to Maine. Breeds in the Fur Countries. Accidental in the interior.

Podiceps rubricollis, Bonap. Syn. p. 417.

Podiceps rubricollis, Red-necked Grebe, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 411.

Red-necked Grebe, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 253.

Red-necked Grebe, Podiceps rubricollis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 617; v. v. p. 620.

489. 3. Podiceps cornutus, Linn. Horned Grebe.

Plate CCLIX. Male and Female.

Male with the bill shorter than the head, rather slender, bluish-black, its tip yellow; feet dusky externally, dull yellow internally; a tuft of feathers on each side behind the eyes, a larger tuft on each side of the upper part of the neck; forehead greyish-brown; upper part of head bluish-black, as are the sides, fore neck anteriorly, and the ruff-feathers; a broad band over the eyes, and the elongated tufts behind them yellowish-brown; fore neck brownish-red; lower parts white, the sides reddish-brown, abdomen dull grey; upper parts brownish-black, the feathers edged with greyish, the middle secondary quills white. Young, in winter, with the feathers of the hind head a little elongated, but no tufts or ruff; bill bluish-grey, as are the feet; upper part of head and hind neck greyish-black, as are the upper parts in general, the feathers of the back edged with light grey; throat, sides of head, a broad patch on each side of the neck, nearly meeting behind, the fore neck and lower parts, white; sides and downy feathers of the abdomen brownish-grey; some of the secondaries white, as in the adult.

Male, 14-3/4, 25-1/2.

Very common during autumn on the Ohio, Missouri, Mississippi, and all their tributaries, as well as in all the Atlantic Districts, to Texas. Breeds from the Great Lakes to the Fur Countries. Migratory.

Podiceps cornutus, Bonap. Syn. p. 417.