(ROLLAND'S GREBE.)
+Podiceps rollandi+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 159; _iid. Ex. Orn._
p. 190; _iid. P. Z. S._ 1868, p. 146; _Scl. P. Z. S._ 1872, p.
549 (Rio Negro); _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 45 (Chupat); _Gibson,
Ibis_, 1880, p. 164 (Buenos Ayres); _White, P. Z. S._ 1883, p. 43
(Cordova); _Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 317 (Bahia Blanca).
_Description._--(_Summer plumage._) Above brownish black, with dark
green reflexions; all the feathers below the neck narrowly margined
with rufous; ear-coverts elongated, white at base with black tips,
and more or less covering the downy white feathers of the sides of
the head; outer half of primaries brownish grey, darker at tip;
inner half and secondaries more or less pure white, some of the
outer webs brownish or buff: beneath, neck and throat blackish
brown, shading into chestnut, burned with dusky on the lower breast
and rest of under surface. (_Winter plumage._) Above not so dark:
beneath, throat white, neck dusky rufous; rest of under surface
shining whitish buff, becoming dusky towards the vent. Whole length
11·8 inches, wing 5·4.
_Hab._ Antarctic America, north to Cordova.
Rolland's Grebe is said by Durnford to be "common in almost every pool
and ditch" in Chupat. It is also common throughout Buenos Ayres, where
the native name for it is _Macasíto_.
Mr. Gibson gives the following details as to its
nesting-habits:--"_Podiceps rollandi_ nests during the latter half of
September and beginning of October. The nest is a slight construction
of water-weeds, floating on the surface of the water, and only kept
stationary by the surrounding rushes. Like _P. major_, it covers the
eggs before leaving them. Five is the largest clutch of eggs I have
taken; they are originally of a bluish-white colour, but after some time
become covered with a brown incrustation of a chalky nature. The average
measurement is 1-30/40 × 1-9/40; but there is a variation of 11/40 in
length and 7/40 in breadth between my largest and smallest specimens."
Specimens of this Grebe were obtained near Cordova by White in 1882.