282 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 



LIMOSA H/EMASTICA (Z/;///.). 

 Hudsonian Godwit. 





Adult in siiimner : Bill slightly curved up; top of the head dusky, showing pale brown 

 streaks; back black, the feathers spotted with tawny brown. Upper tail coverts white ; chin 

 whitish dotted with dusky ; throat reddish brown streaked with brown ; under parts dark rufous 

 brown, faintly and irregularly banded with black. Bill grayish yellow, dark brown along the 

 ridge of the upper mandible, and blackish towards the tips of both. 



Adult in winter: General plumage grayish ; top of the head gray mottled with brown ; back 

 gray ; some of the feathers tipped with dark brown and indistinctly edged with dull whitish ; 

 upper tail coverts white ; chin white; throat ash gray ; under parts grayish white. 



Length, 15.50; Wing, 8.30; Tarsus, 2.30; Bill, 3 to 3.40. 



Ranges in Eastern North America from the far North south to South 

 America. It is becoming less common every year, although at one time it 

 was an abundant species, during the migrations, on oiu* coast. 



Breeds in the far North ; the eggs are described as dark brownish olive 

 lined and spotted with dark brown. 



Genus TOT ANUS Bechst. 



Subgenus GLOTTIS Koch. 



TOTANUS NEBULARIUS {Gumu). 

 Qreen=shank. 



This species has the general appearance of a Winter Yellow-leg {Totanns melanolenciis), 

 although the marking is somewhat different. It is a very rare bird on our coast, there being 

 no actual record since Audubon's time, who states that specimens were taken in Florida, near 

 Cape Sable. It may easily be distinguished by the greenish-gray legs and the dusky-green 

 bill, which is dark at the tip, and the white rump. 



Length, 14; Wing, 7.20; Bill, 2.30 to 2.50; Tarsus, 2.30. 



