296 



KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 



Family APHRIZID.E. Surf Birds and Turnstones. 

 Subfamily ARENARIIN^. Turnstones. 



Genus ARENARIA Brisson. 



ARENARIA INTERPRES {Linn.). 

 Turnstone. 



Adult in summer : General upper parts mottled and 

 variegated with black, white, rufous, and tawny ; throat 

 and breast black and white ; rest of under parts white : 

 tail with subterminal band of black tipped with white. 



Adult in winter : Above light, streaked and dashed 

 with dark brown ; an imperfect band of dark brown on 

 the jugulem; chin and upper part of the throat white; 

 sides of breast like the back ; rest of the under parts white ; 

 a distinct white band on the wing; rump white, but with a 

 broad patch of black on the upper tail coverts ; tail dark 

 brown, the tips and basal half of the inner feathers and 

 nearly two thirds of the outer feathers white ; legs reddish 

 orange; bill black. 



Length, 8.65 ; Wing, 5.70 ; Tail, 2.60 ; Tarsus, i ; Bill, .95. 



This species ranges from the Arctic regions to South America and is 

 common during migrations on the Atlantic coast. It breeds in high latitudes ; 

 the eggs are pale clay color mottled and lined with dull brown. It is a 

 common bird in Florida in winter. 



Family IL^MATOPODIDvE. Oyster-catchers. 

 Genus HiEMATOPUS Linn. 



H/EMATOPUS PALLIATUS 2mim. 

 American Oyster-catcher. 



Winter plumage, male : Head and neck blackish or very dark brown ; back brown ; lower 

 part of breast and rest of under parts white ; eyelids, rump, tips of wing coverts, part of secon- 

 daries, and basal portion of the tail feathers white ; bill orange, darkening at the tip (in summer 

 deep red) ; legs flesh color. 



Length, 17.40; Wing, 10.05; Tail, 4.35 ; Tarsus, 2.30; Bill, 3.50. 



