KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 285 
Genus SYMPHEMIA Rar. 
SYMPHETIUA SEMIPALMATA (Gme/.). 
Willet. 
Adultin summer: Upper 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 winter: Bill 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. 
Symphemia semipalmata. 
Ranges from temperate South America south to the West Indies and 
South America. 
It breeds from New England to Florida, although it does not breed 
commonly north of the Carolinas. It is a very common species in Florida, 
