194 LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS — LONGIPENNES. 



a (luUui- black, and the bill and feet less richly colored than in the adult. A specimen from 

 Matamoras (No. 4167), evidently a young bird, in much worn and apparently faded plumage, 

 has the black replaced Ijy brownish gray (this very pale on the head above), while all the wing- 

 coverts are conspicuously tipped with white. 



The females are uniformly much smaller than the males, but exactly the same in colors, the 

 fresh tints of the bill and feet being equally Ijright. 



This unique and very peculiar species, variously known as the "Razor-bill," the 

 "Cut-water," the "Shearwater," and the "Black Skimmer," is found on our Atlantic 

 coast from Long Island to Southern Brazil, and also on the Pacific coast ; hut to what 

 extent I am not able to state. Dr. Burmeister speaks of it as being common on the 

 Rio Tarana, especially among the lagoons near the river, where this singular bird, in 

 the manner so well described by Azara, fishes for its prey, making long furrows 

 through the water — a pecidiarity which causes it to be generally known by the name 

 of El Raijndor. Mr. Xantus procured this species on the Zacatula River, in Western 

 Mexico ; and Colonel Grayson noticed it during the summer months near San Bias. 

 He speaks of it as not being abundant, and as partly nocturnal in its habits. 



Mr. C. B. Brown met with it in the rivers of British Guiana, especially on the 

 Essequibo, where, as he states, the " Scissor-billed Gulls," or " Sea-dogs," were fre- 

 quently seen flying swiftly along in small parties, with their long sharp flat beaks 

 dipi)ing in the water. Their cries resembled somewhat the barking of a dog ; hence 

 they have received the name of Sea-dogs. 



According to the observations of Mr. Giraud, this is one of the regular visitants of 

 Long Island — Avhere, however it is not very common. At Egg Harbor, on the coast 

 of New Jersey, it is much more abundant, and has been known to breed there. 



Birds of this species associate in small ])arties, and pass most of their time on the 

 wing — flying very low at a short distance from the shore. Giraud has never known 

 them to alight on the water ; but they may usually be seen skimming over its surface, 

 ploughing it with their long bills, seemingly in pursuit of small fish, on Avhich they 

 feed. They are never known to dive, and they apparently only take their prey when 

 this comes to the surface of the water. 



The voice of this Gull is a harsh scream, somewhat resembling the cry of the Tern, 

 but is stronger. When fishing this bird flies steadily and slowly, flapping its long 

 wings. At other times its flight is exceedingly swift. It is not known to breed on 

 Long Island, where it is rarely seen except at midsummer. 



Its nest is a mere hollow formed in the sand, without the addition of any mate- 

 rials. The female lays three eggs, almost exactly oval, of a dirty white, marked \\'ith 

 large spots of brownish black intermixed with others of a pale India-ink. These 

 measure 1.75 inches in length by 1.25 in breadth. It is said that half a bushel and 

 more of these eggs have sometimes been collected from one sandbar within the com- 

 pass of half an acre. Giraud states that he found them to have something of a fishy 

 taste ; yet they are eaten by many people on the coast. The female sits on them 

 only during the night, or in wet and stormy weather. The young renrain unable to 

 fly for several weeks after they are hatched ; and during this time tliey are fed by 

 both parents with remarkable assiduity — seeming to delight in lying with half- 

 opened wings flat on the sand, as if enjoying its invigorating warmth. This bird 

 breeds but once in a season, and is much later in depositing its eggs than are other 

 water birds. In my visit to Cape Charles, in June, 1852, while these birds were 

 present in considerable numbers, they showed no signs of breeding, although their 

 companions of various kinds had all full complements of eggs. 



Mr. N. B. Moore, living near Sarasota Bay, Fla., writes me that he has seen small 



