like a gazelle’s, has a thick orbit of that fleshy character, to which pigeon-fanciers give the name of _putty-eye_, in their favourite birds.” WHITE-WINGED GREBE.[138] _Diver._ _Podiceps Dominicus._ _Colymbus Dominicus_, +Linn.+ _Podiceps Dominicus_, +Lath.+—Spix. Av. Br. 101. [138] Length 9 inches, expanse 14, flexure 3⁶⁄₁₀, tail 0, rictus 1³⁄₁₀, tarsus 1³⁄₁₀, middle toe 1³⁄₄, lateral breadth of tarsus ⁷⁄₁₀, breadth of toe ⁴⁄₁₀. Irides bright yellow; feet and beak black. Upper parts smoky black; wing-quills white; outer webs and tips of the first four or five dusky. Chin black; throat and cheeks blackish ashy; breast blackish; belly feathers tipped with white, giving a mottled appearance. Whole plumage satiny. Intestine 16 inches; two cæca ³⁄₄ inch long. The ponds of the cattle-pens are the favourite resorts of this little Grebe. I have been most familiar with it at the pond of Mount Edgecumbe, which, though not more than an acre or two in extent, used to be speckled with a good number of these miniature ducks; their little black heads and the tops of their backs alone being visible above the surface. On the slightest alarm, they dive with the quickness of thought; and so vigilant is their eye and so rapid their motion, that, ordinarily, the fowling-piece is discharged at them in vain. It is commonly said of some birds, that they dive at the flash of the pan; but though I always used percussion-locks, I could never succeed in hitting one, until I formed a screen of bushes, behind which I might fire in concealment. I then found no difficulty. Hence, I infer that their quick eye detects and takes alarm at the small but sudden motion of the falling hammer. They remain long, and swim far, under water; coming up where quite unlooked for. Some that I have had an opportunity of observing when swimming a little beneath the surface, shot along with expanded wings, almost with the celerity of a fish. They do not always dive, however, when frightened; sometimes they sink deeper than before, and swim away almost submerged. When not alarmed, they call and answer each other, with a loud _clang_, like the note of a trumpet. One of these birds which I had wounded slightly, on being put into a large washing-bowl half filled with water, swam awhile; but repeatedly, when alarmed, by striking vigorously with both feet together, leaped clean over the edge of the basin. When on the floor, it ran a few steps at a time, very well, but grotesquely; the body elevated on the legs almost perpendicularly; but ever and anon, as its first impetus slackened, it fell on its breast, and sometimes rolled over. After a while, however, becoming more calm, it walked more easily, still much raised on the legs; but would suddenly squat down on the belly, and so remain.