324 LARIDiE, SKIMMERS. GEN. 295. 



pressed, but less so, nor is it so obtuse at the end ; its substance is nearly hollow, 

 with light cancellated structure, much as in a toucan ; it is freely movable by means 

 of an elastic hinge at the forehead. There are cranial peculiarities. Conformably 

 with the shape of the mouth, the tongue differs from that of other Longipennes in 

 being very short and stumpy, as in kingfishers, and the Steganopodes. The wings 

 are exceedingly long, and the flight more measured and sweeping than that of terns ; 

 the birds fly in close flocks moving simultaneously, rather than in straggling com- 

 panies. They seem to feed as they skim low over water, with the fore parts inclined 

 downward, the under mandible probably grazing or cutting the surface ; but they 

 are also said to use their odd bill to pry open weak bivalve mollusks. The voice 

 is very hoarse and raucous, rather than strident. They are somewhat nocturnal or 

 at least crepuscular ; their general economy is the same as that of terns, as are all 

 points of structure excepting those above speoifled. Besides the following, there 

 are only two species : B. Jlavirostris and JR. albicoUis, of Asia. 



295. Genus EHYNCHOPS Linnaeus. 



i "1 I Black Skimmer. Cut-water . Glossy black, the forehead, sides of head 

 and neck and all under parts pure white, or rosy-tinted ; tail ashy and white ; 

 bill red, black-tipped; feet orange. Young: grayish-black or dull brown 

 above, varied with white ; bill yellow, dusky-tipped. Length 16-20 inches ; 

 extent 3-4 feet ; wing 13-15 ; tail 4-5, forked ; under mandible 34— 4 J, ui:)per 

 2J-3. Coast of South Atlantic and Gulf States, very abundant ; frequently 

 to the Middle States, and even straying to New England. WiLS., vii, 85, pi. 

 60, f. 4 ; NuTT., ii, 264 ; Aud., vii, 67, pi. 428 ; Lawe. in Bd., 866. nigra. 



Family PROCELLAIlIID.ffi!. Petrels. 



Nostrils tubular. Bill epignathous ; its covering discontinuous, consisting of 

 several horny pieces separated by deep grooves. Hallux small, elevated, func- 

 tionless, appearing merely as a sessile claw, often minute, absent in two genera. 



These are oceanic birds, rarely landing except to breed, unsurpassed in powers 

 of flight, and usually strong swimmers ; excepting the sea-runners, none of them 

 dive. With the same exception, the wings are long, strong and pointed, of 10 stiff 

 primaries and numerous short secondaries ; the humeral and ante-brachial portions 

 are sometimes extremely lengthened. The tail is short or moderate, of less than 

 20 feathers, of variable shape. The feet are usually short, with long full-webbed 

 front toes, and a rudimentary hallux, as above stated, or none. In size, these birds 

 vary remarkably, ranging from that of a swallow up to the immense albatrosses, 

 probably unsurpassed by any birds whatever in alar expanse, and yielding to few 

 in bulk of body. The plumage is compact and oily, to resist water ; the sexes 

 appear to be always alike, and no seasonal changes are determined ; but some color 

 variation with age, or according to individual peculiarities, certainly occurs in most 

 cases, and in the Puffini, for instance, in which some currentljr admitted species are 

 uniformly fuliginous, it is not proven that this feature is not temporary, as in the 

 jaegers. The food is entirely of an animal nature, and fatty substances, in partic- 

 ular, are eagerly devoured ; when irritated, many species eject an oily fluid from the 

 mouth or nostrils, and some are so fat they are occasionally used for lamps, by 

 running a wick through the body. The eggs are few, or only one, laid in a rude 

 nest, or none, on the gTound or in a burrow. Petrels are silent birds, as a rule, 



