76 LAKES AND RIVERS. 



weight five ounces. Like most of the water-birds, 

 there is a conspicuous change between the summer 

 and winter plumage. In summer the head and back 

 of the neck are brown-ash, with dusky streaks in the 

 length of the feathers, and a white streak over the eye. 

 The back and scapulars are dusky, with dull gray 



THE WHIMBRIL. 



spots ; the coverts ash-colour, with spots of brown 

 and white ; the rump white, marked with small spots 

 and bars of dusky brown ; the tail is barred with black 

 and white. In winter the plumage of the back changes 

 to ash-brown with dusky streaks, that of the breast to 

 pale greenish-white and slender brown streaks. The 



