SKIMMERS. 



85 



— Forcheatl, nnpo, nml under porta wliite: back of the head bluck mixed 

 with wliite; huek, win^s, and tail deep pearl-jrray. //«. — Similar to the pre- 

 cedin^r, but upper parts more or \cxn washed antl tipped with brownish ; sides 

 washed with prayish. L., lOOO; W., S'.'iO; T., SW; B., 1-00. 



Jianije. — Temperate and tropieal Anieriea; bneds in th. interior from 

 Kansas and Illinois to Alaska; not known to breed on the . tlantic eoast, 

 where it is found from I'rinee Edward's Island southward p , «u irregular 

 migrant, oeeurring at times in consiilcrable numbers. 



Washington, irregular T. V., Sejtt. Long Ibland, irregular T. V. in vary- 

 ing nun.bers, Aug. and Sept. Sing Sing, A. V^., Sept. 



A'cxt, of reeds, grasses, etc., rather closely woven, in grassy marshes or 

 vegetation floating in u slough. Af/f/«, two to tliree, grayish olive-brown, 

 rarely whitish, heavily spotted and blotched with clioeolate markings, fre- 

 quently confluent about the larger end, 1'35 x -OS. 



This is an abundant species at favorable localities in the interior. 



" It seems not to subsi.st on fish at all, but chiefly on dragon flies 

 and various aquatic insects. It finds both its home and its food in 

 the marshes usually, but its powers of flight are so great thnt it may 

 also be seen far out on the dry open plains, scouring the country for 

 food at a distance of miles from its nesting ground. . . . 



" The bird may fre(|uently be seen dashing about in a zigzag man- 

 ner so swiftly, the eye can offer no explanati(m of its motive until, on 

 the resumpti<m of its ordinary flighl, a large dragon fly is seen hang- 

 ing from its bill. . . ." (Thompson). 



Tlie WniTE-wiNOKi) Black Teun (7'.''. Ili/ilnichdiilun lencojitfra), i\n Old 

 World species, has been taken once in Wisconsin, and is recorded us "seen" 

 on a lake near Winnipeg. 



79. Anous stoliduB (Z//w(.). Nonnv. ./</.— Top of the liead silvery 

 whitish, lores black; re.st of the plumage dark sonty brown; tail rounded, 

 the cetitrnl ta'i -feathers longest. ///;.— Similar, but tlic top of the hca<l is 

 like the rest of the plumage and the silvery wliiti>li ajipcars as a lino from 

 the bill to above the eye. L., bvOO ; W., 10-25 ; T., o-'JO ; B., 1-70. 



A*a«f/e.—" Tropical and subtropical regions; in America, from Brazil and 

 Chili north to the Gulf and South Atlantic States" (A. <>. U.). 



Xed, of sticks, grasses, etc., on a mangrove bush, in a tree, sometimes on 

 the beach or in crevices of rocks. Egij^ pale butl'y w liitc, sparingly marked 

 with rufous, 2-05 x 1-35. 



This is a summer visitant to our South Atlantic and Gulf coasts, 

 and nests on some of the Florida keys. 



Family RYNCHOPiDiE. Skimmers. 



The three closely allied species constituting this small but distinct 

 family are found in the warmer parts of the earth. Only one species 



