170 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



of these birds, he will readily admit that voracious minnows and 

 ravenous crabs are there in tens of thousands ! 



The little rails and their eggs are considered great delicacies 

 in this part of the country, and suffer accordingly. From the 

 causeway we had a point of vantage; but approach a ground nest, 

 even with the utmost care, and no sign of the parent will be visi- 

 ble. But do not be too ready to accuse the tiny mother of undue 

 fear or neglect, for the spotted eggs will always be warm to the 

 touch. 



iy. Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias, Linn.). Several 

 young birds of the year had made Cobb Island their home, at- 

 tracted by the vast quantities of fish and crabs in the marsh 

 creeks. They probably remained there until the fall migration. 

 These birds were hatched, doubtless, at the rookery at Cheapside, 

 some miles away on the main shore. They were quite tame, not 

 having as yet learned the treachery of mankind. 



18. Black Skimmer, also known as Flood-Gull and Sea- 

 Hound (Rhynchops nigra, Linn'.). Of all the birds whose hab- 

 its we studied on the coast of Virginia, the Black Skimmers were 

 the most interesting. They breed near the gulls and terns and 

 yet showed most distinct characteristics. Although, owing to the 

 inartistic aspect of the head, these birds have not suffered at the 

 hands of milliners to such an extent as the terns and gulls, yet 

 their numbers have been greatly depleted, and we found that 

 they have another no less terrible foe to combat. These birds are 

 really terns, with a strangely modified bill fitted for their unique 

 method of feeding. They are very strikingly colored, the entire 

 upper part of the plumage being jet black and all the under parts 

 white. The bill and feet are bright red. The upper mandible is 

 always much shorter than the lower, and both as thin as paper 

 knives and as pliable. The method of feeding of these birds has 

 often been described, and yet no description is adequate, — no 

 words can present the charm of their graceful flight. Although 

 these birds are only about a foot and a half in length, their long, 

 narrow wings spread fully four feet. These powerful pinions 

 enable the Skimmers to fly very close to the water, so close indeed 

 that the long lower mandible drops beneath the surface and 

 ploughs a zigzag furrow. All worms and small fishes in the path 

 of this furrow are thus scooped up into the mouth of the bird. 

 And yet, even with such a remarkably shaped bill, it is not im- 

 possible for these birds to feed in other ways. We saw several 

 swimming about in small pools and picking up floating insects 

 and small crustaceans. And again a Skimmer, when getting food 



