534 LARID^E. 



abundant opportunities of seeing while on the Gulf of 

 Mexico. The flight of this bird greatly resembles that of 

 the Night-hawk when passing over meadows or rivers. 

 When about to alight on the water, the Noddy keeps its 

 wings extended upwards, and touches it first with its feet. 

 It swims with considerable buoyancy and grace, and at 

 times immerses its head to seize on a fish. It does not see 

 well by night, and it is for this reason that it frequently 

 alights on the spars of vessels, where it sleeps so soundly 

 that the seamen often catch them. When seized in the 

 hand it utters a rough cry, not unlike that of a young 

 American Crow taken from the nest. On such occasions 

 it bites severely, with quickly-repeated movements of 

 the bill, which, on missing the object aimed at, close with 

 a snap. Some which I kept several days refused all 

 kinds of food, became dull and languid, and at length died. 

 While hovering over us near their nests, these birds 

 emitted a low querulous murmur, and, if unmolested, 

 would attempt to alight on our heads. After a few visits, 

 however, they became rather more careful of themselves, 

 although the sitting birds often suifered us to put a hat 

 over them. This species incubates both day and night." 



Dr. Latham, in his Synopsis, observes that this bird is 

 said to breed in the Bahama Islands, laying the eggs on 

 the bare rocks ; on the Eoca Islands, and various parts of 

 the coast of Brazil, and Cayenne. Catesby, in his Natural 

 History of Carolina, mentions having seen this bird more 

 than a hundred leagues from land. According to Mr. 

 Collie's notes, this species was seen in the Pacific at several 

 different places at various seasons of the year, as men- 

 tioned in the volume devoted to the Zoology of Captain 

 Beechey's voyage in the Blossom, p. 38. 



The following extract in reference to the habits of 



