618 RED-NECKED GREBE.
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 subbasal, linearelliptical,
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 parallel 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 hea.d 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 secondaries
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 ashgrey,
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 feathers edged with pale brown; the edge of the wing and the outer
secondaries 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 18J inches, to end of wings 16J, to
end of claws 24 ; extent of wings 32 ; wing from flexure 71; bill along
the back lft, along the edge of lower mandible 2 | ; tarsus 2 ; outer toe
2}, its claw }. Weight 23 oz.
RED-NECKED GREBE. 619
Young after first moult. Plate CCXCVIII. Fig. 2.
Bill bright yellow, the ridge of the upper mandible dusky. Iris pale
yellow. Feet as in the adult. The upper part of the head blackish-grey,
the hind neck, and the upper parts generally, of the same colour, but darker
towards the rump; the edge of the wing and the outer secondaries greyish
white, the latter grey towards the end. The lower parts greyishwhite.