Three Cobb's Island Pictures 8i 



those which were exposed. I mention this incident to give an idea 

 of the adhesiveness of the glue used in the construction of Swifts' 

 nests. 



July 20 I made the following note: " Swiftlings no longer 

 make use of the nest, but dispose themselves in various parts of the 

 chimney, sometimes in a cluster, sometimes in twos or threes, and 

 sometimes separately. They take flying exercises up and down the 

 chimney, but 1 believe have not yet left it." The next morning I was 

 forced to conclude that three had taken flight into the great outside 

 world, for upon looking the chimney over thoroughly with the aid of 

 a small mirror, I could find but two birds. 



The chimney was much used by this interesting family until the 

 24th of August. Early in the morning of that day a large number of 

 Swifts were seen gathering in a flock at a short distance from the 

 house. Ten o'clock that night I searched the chimney with a 

 lighted candle, but found no sign of life, .and I believe that the 

 Swifts did not again enter within its walls. 



Three Cobb's Island Pictures 



BY WILLIAM L. BAILY 



R 



IGHT out on the sandy beach, 

 just above high tide, the Black 

 Skimmer risks her set of eggs, 

 and, while apparently unprotected, 

 they are so much the color of the 

 sand and the surrounding shells and 

 seaweed that they would not be 

 noticed unless you were especially 

 looking for them. 



The Skimmers are gull-like in 



form, with long, slender body and 



long wings, spreading almost three 



feet. They have a glossy black back, 



ELAfK SKIMMER wliltc brcast, orange feet, and a most 



curiously shaped orange bill, which is almost as thin as a knife, the 



thin edges closing vertically together. This peculiarity has given 



the bird the name of 'Razor Bill.' 



Their graceful and regular flight can hardly be mistaken for that 

 of any other bird. They skim just over the surface of the water, 

 following the contour of the waves, while the lower mandible of their 



