l62 



KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS Ol-' l-LORIDA. 



/CQIALITIS HELODA (On/). 

 Piping Plover. 



Adult ill siiiitinci- : Upper parts ashy; forehead white, 

 separated from the ash color of the head by a narrow patch 

 of black ; a band on the side of the breast black ; under 

 parts and a ring around the neck white. 



Adult in winter : Similar to the summer plumage, but 

 the black marking replaced by grayish buff or ashy gray 

 instead of black. Bill orange at base, tipped with black. 



Length, 7.20; Wing, 4.S0 ; Tarsus, .90; Bill, .50. 



Ranges from Labrador to the West Indies 

 and South America. It is a common species 

 on the New England coast dm-ing the migra- 

 tions, and is a regular winter visitant to Florida, although not abundant. 



The Piping Plover breeds from Virginia to Labrador and Newfoundland. 

 The eggs are dull white marked with dark brown. 



^GQIALITIS HELODA CIRCUriCINCTA J^idgw. 

 Belted Piping Plover. 



It is similar to ^V. meloda, but differs in having an unbroken IMack band from the sides 

 around in front of the neck. 



This species occurs on the coast during the migrations. I am not aware 



that it has been recorded from Florida, but it no doubt occiu's there. 



Subgenus OCHTHODROMUS Keich. 



/EQIALITIS WILSONIA (Ord.). 

 Wilson's Plover. 



Adult male : Above ashy brown; forehead white, extending into a faint superciliary stripe 

 of dull black on tlie crown ; throat white, continuing on the sides of the neck, nearly joining 

 upon the nape ; a black pectoral band, the feathers edged with white, becoming brown upon 

 the sides; under parts white; two central tail feathers brown, the others showing increasing- 

 markings of white to the outer tail feathers, which are white ; bill black (large and stout) ; legs 

 pinkish. 



