654 BIRDS FROM MARGABITA—ROBIXSON. vol. xviii. 



Family KHYNCHOPID^. 



5. RYNCHOPS NIGRA, Linnaeus. 



BLACK SKIMMER. 



Not until tlie day before my departure from Margarita did I observe 

 this skimmer. 1 was strolling along the beach after dark on a veiy 

 quiet evening wheu not a breath of air was stirring, and the little sw€ll 

 pulsing on tlie oceau caused no more than a thin, silvery sheet of water 

 to uow and then glide over the smooth sand and steal back as quietly 

 as it had come. As I turned at one spot to glance back, I became 

 aware of a large bird flitting by so close that I could distinctly hear 

 the swish of its wings. lu a few seconds another passed, and stooping 

 down so as to bring it in relief against the horizon, I easily recognized 

 it. The next day I saw others. They fly with their wings held high 

 above their bodies, and prefer to skim over this thin sheet of water 

 that is thrown over the sands by the waves as they break. They leave 

 a distinct ripple in their wake. 



Family PHALACEOCORACID^. 



6. PHALACROCORAX, sp. 



CORMORANT. 

 Xative name "cotua." 



This small, dark, and glossy cormorant was fairly abundant along 

 .the beaches of Margarita, but no specimens were secured. 



Family PELECANID^. 



7. PELECANUS FUSCUS, Linnaeus. 



BROWN PELICAN. 



^S^ative name "alcatraz." 



Abundant at Margarita and along the neighboring coast of the main- 

 land, fishing at times in parties of hundreds. At Margarita they always 

 assembled as the fishermen drew their nets, and as the net was gradu- 

 ally pursed, a steady stream of pelicans could be seen plunging head- 

 long from the air into the water, rising and plunging again. 



Family FREGATID.F:. 



8. FREGATA AQUILA (Linnaeus.) 



MAN-O'-WAR BIRD. 



Native name "tijereta," i. e., scissor-tail. 



Common along the beaches, the piebald young and the darker adults 

 fishing together. Though fishing from on wing, I did not see any plunge 

 into the water like the i)elicans, but swooping over the sj^ot they struck 



