278 



KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 



TRINGA FUSCICOLLIS VlcUl. 

 White=rumped Sandpiper. 



^{diilt ill siinniwi- : Top of the head and back mottled 

 witli black, dull white, and buff ; throat white ; breast finely 

 lined with dark brown : belly white ; an imperfect super- 

 ciliary line of dull white, rump dusky gray and most of 

 -upper tail coverts wJiite. 



Adult in winter: Top of tlie head and l:)ack grayish, 

 some of the feathers marked with dark brown, giving it a 

 slightly mottled appearance on the back and top of the 

 head ; upper throat white ; breast ashy gray, the shafts of 

 the feathers showing brown ; belly white ; forehead whit- 

 ish, extending in an imperfect superciliary line. 



Length, 6.S5 ; Wing, 4.95 ; Tarsus, .95 ; Bill, .95. 



This species may be distinguished by the 

 white upper tail coverts. It ranges from the Arctic regions south to South 

 America and the West Indies. It breeds in high Latitudes : the eggs are 

 buff or olive, spotted and dotted with dark brown. 



TRINGA MINUTILLA Vieill. 

 Least Sandpiper. 



Adult in siiiiuner : Very small; upper parts 

 marked with tawny black and pale buff ; under 

 parts whitish on the throat, shading into ashy 

 gray, showing faint brownish lines on the breast ; 

 rest of the under parts white ; bill dull black. 

 Xo web between toes. 



Adult ill winter : Similar to the above but 

 grayer in color. 



Length, 5.5010 6.50; Wing, 3.60; Tarsus. .75 ; 

 Bill. .85. 



The Least Sandpiper may be distinguished from the Semi- 

 palmated Sandpiper by the absence of the small web between 

 the toes, so noticeable in that species. 



Common throughout North and South America, breeding 

 north of the United States. Eggs are three to four, generally 

 pale buff mottled with chestnut brown. 



