KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. I53 



Genus SYMPHEMIA Raf. 



SYMPHEHIA SEMIPALMATA {(^me/.). 

 Willet. 



Adult i)i simuiicr : L'pper plumage gray, streaked on the head with dark brown, and tlie 

 central portion of many of the feathers has the back blotched with brown ; chin white ; throat 

 white dotted with brown ; under parts dull white, the feathers on the sides barred witli brown 

 and washed with tawny ; axillars black ; bill bluish, dusky toward end. 



Adult ill luhitcr: Bill nearly straight, upper plumage gray, showing faint indications of 

 whitish on the tips of some of the feathers on the back ; chin whitish ; throat ashy gray ; the 

 rest of under parts white, showing ashy on the sides of the body. The broad white band on the 

 wings is a distinguishing character of this bird wlien flying, formed by the iiasal portion of 

 the primaries and some of the secondaries being white. 



Length. 15.50; Wing, 8.10; Tarsus, 2.30; Bill, 2 to 2.30. 



Sympliemia semipalmata. 



Ranges from temperate South xVmeriea south to the West Indies and 

 South America. 



It breeds from New Enghand to Florida, although it does not breed 

 common!}' north of the Carolinas. It is a very common species in Florida, 



