Scott, Birds of the Gulf Coast of Florida. 373 



A SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS ON THE BIRDS OF 

 THE GULF COAST OF FLORIDA. 



BY W. E. D. SCOTT. 



The observations recorded in tiie following pages are based 

 on work covering, in period of time, the entire winters of 1879- 

 80, 1886-87, and 1887-88 ; the spring, summer and autumn of 

 1S86, the spring and autumn of 1887, ^"<^ the entire season of 

 1888 up to August I, the date of this writing. All of these 

 seasons have been spent at some point on the Gulf Coast of 

 Florida south of Cedar Keys, and from that point to Key West 

 is the area it is proposed to treat of. Reference will also be 

 made to work done during January, February, and March. 1876, 

 at Fanassoffkee Lake in Sumpter County, and to several short 

 trips inland to minor points. 



Where information has been obtained through friends and 

 fellow-workers in this region it will be noted as coming from 

 such sources ; and no information but such as seems absolutely 

 reliable has been admitted into the pages that follow. 



Colymbus aurituB. Horned Grebe. — During the months of Decem- 

 ber and January, winter of 1887-88, this species was abundant in large 

 flocks in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of the Counties of Hillsboro 

 and Pasco. These flocks were most numerous from about a mile and a 

 half to three miles off shore. Single birds and pairs often came closer to 

 the land. I have no records of the species from any of the fresh water 

 ponds, some of which are very close to the coast, where Podilymbus 

 podiceps is to be found very commonly. 



Podilymbus podiceps. Pied-billed Grebe. — A common winter visitor, 

 arriving early in the fall and remaining till late in March in numbers. 

 I have notes of its occurrence in each of the months of June, July, and 

 August, and though rare at this time of year, I think it will be found ulti- 

 mately to breed in Hillsboro County. Most of the migratory birds assume 

 full nuptual plumage before leaving for the north. The species is abun- 

 dant in winter in both ft-esh and salt water at the several points I have 

 visited throughout the State. 



Urinator imber. LooN. — This species is common during December and 

 January on the Gulf from Cedar Keys at least as far south as Tampa Bay. 

 Though most of the birds seem to prefer the waters of the Gulf, yet I 

 have many notes of their occurrence on the Anclote River, several miles 

 above its mouth. The birds that I have examined from these localities 

 are mostly young birds of the year, and I have never seen an individual 

 from these points in full plumage. 



