PALMIPEDES. . 415 



We may also distinguish from the other Terns, 



The Noddies, 



Whose tail is not forked, and is nearly as long as the wings. 

 There is a slight projection under their bill, the first indication of 

 that in the Mauves. But one species is known, 



i^^. stolida, L.J Noddi noir, Enl. 997 (The Noddy), which is 

 a blackish brown, top of the head whitish. Celebrated for the 

 blundering manner in whjbh it throws itself on vessels.(l) 



Rhynchops, Lin. 



The Skimmers resemble the Terns in their small feet, long wings 

 and forked tail, but are distinguished from all birds by their extra- 

 ordinary bill, the upper mandible of which is shorter than the other, 

 both being flattened so as to form simple blades, which meet without 

 clasping. Their only mode of feeding is by skimming their aliment 

 from the surface of the water with the lower mandible, which they 

 effect while on the wing. One species, 



Rhym. nigra, L., "Enl. 357 (The Black Skimmer), is white, 



with a black mantle and calottej a white band on the wing; 



outside of the external quills of the tail white; bill and feet red; 



hardly as large as a Pigeon. From the vicinity of the An- 



tilles.(2) 



FAMILY IIL 



TOTIPALMATiE. 



The birds of this family are remarkable for having the thumb 

 united with the toes by one single membrane, a mode of or- 

 ganization that renders their feet complete oars, notwithstand- 

 ing which, they perch upon trees, being almost the only Palmi- 

 pedes who do so. They all fly well and have short feet. 

 Linnaeus separated them into three gener^, the first of which 

 it was necessary to subdivide. 



(1) The St. pUlippensis, (Sonner. Voy. I, pi. Ixxxv,) does not appear to differ 

 from the stolida; the -S*^. fuscata, Latli., Briss., VI, pi. xxi, 1, also seems to be- 

 long to this subgenus, as well as the >S'^ tenuirostris, T. Col. 202. 



(2) Add Myn. Jlavirostris, Vieill. Gal. 291i Bk. cinerascens, Spix, Cll;E. 

 brevirostris. Id. GUI. 



