138 



KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 



ORDER LIMICOL^. 



Shore Birds. 



Family PHALAROPODID.E. Phalaropes. 

 Genus CRYMOPHILUS Vieill. 



CRYM0PHILU5 FULICARIUS {Linu.). 

 Red Phalarope. Gray Phalarope. 



Adult male in siunnier : General under parts 

 and sides of the neck purplish brown ; upper tail 

 coverts purplish brown slightly darker than the 

 under parts ; crown of the head and base of the bill 

 smoky black ; sides of the head white extending to 

 the nape ; rump white ; back black : feathers edged 

 with tawny brown ; primaries dusky, the shafts 

 being white and the base of the feathers white : 

 some of the secondaries white ; bill yellowish brown, 

 dark on the tip; feet dull yellow. 



Adult ill iviiitcr : Head and under parts white, 

 a small patch around the eye and a nuchal crest 

 dusky ; the under parts of the body are tinged with 

 ashy gray on the sides ; upper parts grayish ash 

 color ; wings showing a distinct white bar ; bill 

 dusky ; feet brownish. 



Length, 7.45; Wing, 5; Tail, 2.50; Bill, .94; Tarsus, .70. 



This is a maritime species which ranges from the far north, where it 

 breeds, southward to the Middle States. It is cLiimed to be occasionally 

 seen off the coast of Florida, and I once purchased a stuffed specimen 

 (which may or may not have been taken in Florida) from a dealer in Jack- 

 sonville, with a number of other skins of Florida birds. 



The eggs are laid on the ground, the nest being formed of a little grass, 

 and are from three to four in number, pale olive marked with chocolate 

 brown. 



