14 Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences 



than a bantam's, are deposited. When incubating the skimmer 

 is a conspicuous bird, not only by reason of her striking color 

 pattern of black, white and red (the latter on the base of the bill), 

 but also because she is a vociferous creature and now and again 

 raises her voice in the form of hoarse barks in reply to comrades 

 passing on the wing or to neighbors covering their respective 

 treasures on the sand near by. 



In addition to the large numbers of skimmers that seemed 

 always to travel together in big flocks, there were small bands of 

 from two to six or seven (the commonest number being three) 

 almost constantly flying in one direction or another in the colony. 

 Then, too, but less often, there were single birds, and it was a 

 matter that perplexed us deeply and for a considerable time to 

 know why many of these individuals, and not a few of those that 

 were flying in company with others, carried in their bills articles 

 which we originally supposed to be debris of some sort, but which 

 we at length discovered were small fish. By continued observa- 

 tion it was found that the birds thus laden were apparently males 

 and that the fish were being taken to the females, and played an 

 important part in the mating or love ceremonies. I saw a male 

 bird alight with a fish in his bill and walk toward a female who 

 was standing on the sand. The latter reached for the food but 

 before she could secure it the male drew his head aside, turned 

 about and walked away, the female following. After they had 

 gone a few feet the female stopped as though losing interest and 

 immediately the male also halted and at the same time turned 

 partly around, as if about to surrender the tempting minnow ; but 

 this was only a subterfuge on his part, for when the female was 

 almost within reach of the prize he turned and again led the pro- 

 cession until the female's interest lagged, when he repeated his 

 ruse of a short time before. The ridiculous performance was 

 renewed several times when suddenly and unexpectedly the male 

 gave over the fish, and while the female was engaged in gulping 

 it down copulation was effected. 



