136 BLACK SKIMMER. 



tail is forked ; and the legs and feet are very similar 

 to those of the Terns, to which genus these birds are 

 also greatly allied, from their long wings and man- 

 ners of life. There are two species known. 



BLACK SKIMMER. 



(Rhyii chops nigra.) 



Rh. nigricans sublux alba, rostro hasi rubro. 



Dusky Skimmer beneath white, with the base of the beak red. 



Rliynchops nigra. Linn. Syst. Nat. x. 1.228. Gmcl. Syst.Nat. 



1. 611. Lalh. Lid. Om. 2. 802. Shaxu, Nat. Misc.pl. 325. 

 Rygchopsalia. Briss. Om. 6. 223. p/. 21. y. 2. 



Avis matleraspatanos major novaeuhc facie. Rati Syn. 19-1. 



pi. l,/:;.. 



Le bee en ciseaux. Buff. Ois. 8. 454. pi. 30. Buff. PL Enl. 357- 



Coupeur clean. Cuv. llc^. Anim. 1. 522. 



Cutwater. Catesby, Carol, l.jjl. 90. 



Black Skimmer. Edw. Glean.pl. 281. (beak). Penn. Arct. Zool. 



2. 445. Lath. Gen. Syn. 0. 3 17. pi. in title. Lath. Gen. Hist. 

 x. 96. IVils. Amer. Om. vii. 85.pl. lx.y! 4. 



Variety. — Rliynchops fulva. Linn. Syst. Nat. 1. 229. 

 Ryirchopsalia fulva. Briss. Om. 6. 227. A. 



This singular bird is twenty inches in length : its 

 beak is red at its base and black at its tip : the fore- 

 head, chin, and under parts of its plumage, are white : 

 the rest of the head, and the upper parts of the body 

 and wings, are dusky black : the wings are crossed 

 by a white bar : the tail is considerably shorter than 

 the wings, and forked ; the two middle feathers arc 



