68 



KEY TO Tin-: WATKR IJIRDS OP^ FLORIDA. 



Family RHYNCHOPID.E. Skimmers. 

 Genus RHYNCHOPS Linn. 



RHYNCHOPS NIGRA Liiin. 

 Black Skimmer. 



Adult in siiininer : Bill thin, knife-like, lower mandible the longer, basal half vermillion red, 

 blackish at tip : forehead, lores, and cheeks, and entire under part to crissum, and tips of second- 

 aries white : under hning of wing and axillars white : rest of plumage black ; tail white, the 

 shafts of the feathers brownish above. 



Adult in winter : Similar but browner, and showing a wliite nuchal collar. 



Length. iS to 20; Wing, 15 ; Tail, 5.50; Tarsus, 1.25 ; Bill (culmen), 2.70 ; Gonys, 4.25. 



A common resident in Florida, it breeds on the Atlantic coast from Florida 

 to Virginia. The eggs, usualh- four, are brownish white blotched with 

 chocolate brown ; they are deposited on the sand without any nest. 



Range: " Warmer parts of America north on the Atlantic coast to Xew 

 Jersey and casually to the Bay of Fundy.'' ( a.o.u.) 



