KEY TO THE \\'ATER BIRDS OK FLORIDA. 285 



Genus SYMPHEMIA Raf. 



SYMPHEHIA SEMIPALMATA {GmeL). 

 Willet. 



Ad7ilt in siiDuiicr : I'pper plumage gray, streaked on the head with dark brown, and the 

 central portion of many of the feathers has the back blotched with brown ; chin white ; throat 

 white dotted with brown ; under parts dull white, the feathers on the sides barred with brown 

 and washed with tawny ; axillars black ; bill bluish, dusky toward end. 



Adult in ivinter: IMll nearly straight, upper plumage gray, showing faint indications of 

 whitish on the tips of some of the feathers on the back ; chin whitish ; throat ashy gray ; the 

 rest of under parts white, showing ashy on the sides of the body. The broad white band on the 

 wings is a distinguishing character of this bird when flying, formed by the basal portion of 

 the primaries and some of the secondaries being white. 



Length. 15.50; Wing, 8.10; Tarsus, 2.30; Bill, 2 to 2.30. 



'-m- 



Sympheniia semipalmata. 



Ranges from temperate South America south to tlie West Indies and 

 South America. 



It breeds from New Enghmd to Florida, akhough it does not breed 

 commonly north of the Carolinas. It is a very common species in Florida, 



