closed; chin black; cheeks, sides and front of the upper
part of the neck reddish-chestnut ; under surface of the
body dull greyish-white ; sides under the wings and the
flanks dusky-brown; legs and toes dark greenish. The
whole length nine inches and a half. From the carpal
joint to the end of the wing four inches and a quarter. In
this state of plumage it is the Podiceps liebridicus, or
Black-cliinned Grebe of authors, which is now known to be
only our Little Grebe in summer dress.
Adult birds in winter have the under mandible lighter in
colour than the upper; the latter being dark brown ; head,
hack of the neck, and all the upper surface of the body,
clove-brown ; some of the primary quill-feathers, as well as
the secondaries, greyish-white, hut only seen when the
wing is extended; chin white; front of the neck ash-brown;
breast and belly shining greyish-white; sides under the
wing and the flanks, ash-brown. Weight 7 ounces.
Young birds of the year, in their first winter, have the
beak yellowish-brown ; the head and back of a still lighter
brown colour than old birds in winter ; chin white ; sides
of the neck pale wood-brown ; under surface of the body
and the sides clouded with brown on a ground-colour of
greyish-white.
An example of the American Pied-billed Grebe (Podilym-
bus podiceps), stated to have been shot near Weymouth in
January, 1881, was exhibited by Mr. R. Bowdler Sharpe at
a meeting of the Zoological Society (P. Z. S. 1881, p. 734);
but there seems to be the possibility of an accidental exchange
of specimens having taken place at the bird-stuffer’s,
and at all events there is no other record of the occurrence
of this American species in Europe.
STEGANOPODES. PEL EGA NU) JE.
P halacrocorax carbo (Linnaeus*).
THE COMMON CORMORANT.
Phalacrocorax carbo.
Phalacrocorax, Brisson +.—Bill moderate, or long, straight, compressed,
culmen rounded ; upper mandible very much curbed at the point, hooked; the
base connected with a membrane which extends to the throat. Face and throat
naked. Nostrils basal, linear, hidden. Legs strong, short, abdominal ; three toes
in front, one behind, the hind toe articulated on the inner surface of the tarsus ;