EIIYNCHOPS. 417 



Guatemala, Acapam, Pacific coast (0. S. 4 5 isj . Nicaeagua, Los Sabalos 

 {Nutting i^). — Trinidad is ; West Indies ^^. 



The " Black Skimmer," or " Scissor-bill," is distinguished by the broad white edging to 

 the secondaries and by the white under wing-coverts ; the tail-feathers are white, with 

 more or less brown in their centres. 



Grayson states that he has observed the species in Western Mexico near San Bias 

 during the summer months, where it was not very numerous, being, doubtless, chiefly 

 a winter visitor to Central America. On the western side it has been observed by 

 Sumichrast on the coast of the Gulf of Tehuantepec, and Salvin procured specimens 

 on the Acapam Lagoon about two leagues from Chiapam on the Pacific coast of 

 Guatemala 4 ^ i^. From the eastern side of our region R. nigra has been recorded by 

 Mr. Dresser and Dr. Berlandier. The latter regarded it as a rare species on the 

 Mexican coast, and met with only one example near Tampico i*. Dr. Gaumer states 

 that on the northern coast of Yucatan many thousands could be seen at any time 

 at the mouths of the rivers ^^. It has also been met with by Mr. Nutting at Los 

 Sabalos, a place situated about thirty miles from the Lake of Nicaragua on the River 

 San Juan ^^. 



The Skimmer is seldom seen at sea, except when crossing from island to island on 

 migration. It is a coast-frequenter, often collecting in enormous numbers, and is 

 met with occasionally in small parties round the shores of inland lakes and along the 

 larger rivers. E. nigra has all the habits of a Tern, making no nest beyond a 

 depression in the sand, and breeding in large communities. It feeds on small fish, 

 following them on the surface of the water and catching the minute fry with its 

 scissor-like bill ; in a similar manner it will plough up the mud in search of small 

 molluscs. This bird has a strong flight, capable of being maintained against the most 

 violent gale i*. 



The effgs vary from a long and narrow to a broad pointed oval form, the ground- 

 colour being creamy or very pale bufi", sometimes with a pinkish tinge. The markings 

 consist of spots and blotches of black or reddish-brown, sometimes forming confluent 

 patches, and the underlying pattern is dark purple ^^. 



2. Rhynchops melanura. 



Rhynchops melanura, Swains. Classif. Birds, ii. p. 373'; Saunders, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxv. 



p. 156 ^ 

 E. nigrce similis, sed seeundariis angustius albo marginatis, rectricibus saturate brunneis, angustissime albido 



limbatis, subalaribus fumoso-cinereis distinguenda. Long, tota circa 15'5, alae 12-5, caudse 4-7, rostri3-2 



tarsi 1-1. (Descr. av. adult, ex Cozumel I. Mus. nostr.) 



Hai. Mexico, Cozumel L, off" Yucatan [Qaumer^).— Coasts and Riveks of Soutu 

 America ^. 

 BIOL. CENTR.-AMEK., Aves, Vol. III., JSovember 1903. 53 



