THE COLLECTORS MONTHLY. 



ihg trip to Napeague Harbor, is a female, 

 and agrees perfectly with the full plumage 

 described above, except in having a few 

 scattered feathers across the upper breast of 

 a dark grayish brown. It came on board of 

 a fishing boat, near Montauek, Ft., after some 

 bait which was exposed on deck, and was 

 caught by one of the fishermen, and brought 

 to me when they made the harbor for the 

 night. This was on Sept. iSth 1883. The 

 bird was in an emaciated condition, breeds 

 on islands in the West Indies, and Gulf of 

 Mexico, from whence it straggles as far 

 north as New England. N ests on the 

 ground, layes one or two eggs in May, of a 

 whitish ground, spotted with brown and 

 lilac of different shades, and averages about 

 2 x 1 1-2 inches, 



Black Tern. (693) 

 {33 •) T?'~Hyd'rochelidon nigra surinamensis. 



Above dark lead gray. Head, neck, and 

 under parts black. Under tail coverts white. 

 Length 10 inches. 



A not uncommon migrant in autumn. I 

 have taken several, both adult and young at 

 Ram Island Shoals. Have rever met with 

 it in the spring. "Sept. gth '79, I shot 

 one. Aug. 30th '80, shot one. Sept- 10th 

 'So, I saw one or two. Sept. 12th '82, I saw 

 one" (Helme). Breeds in large inland 

 marshes, nesting on Muskrat barns and 

 small islands. Nest of grasses etc. Eggs 

 greenish or brownish ground boldly blotched 

 with dark brown and lilac, and average about 

 r 1-4x1 inches. 



Black Skimmer. (656,) 

 {34.. ) 80. Rhynchops nigra. 



Above blackish brown. Beneath white. 

 Bill orange at base, black at tip, the lower 

 mandible extending an inch or more beyond 

 the upper. Length 18 inches. 



A rare straggler from the South Recorded 

 from as far north as the Bay of Fundy. 

 Breeds abmidantlly along the South Atlantic 

 Coast, depositing the eggs in hollows scratch- 

 ed in the bare sand, early in June. The 

 Black Skimmers procure their food by flying 

 along the surface of the water, and keeping 



the end of the projecting lower mandible 

 skimming just under the surface ai >uch an 

 angle that a small fish or other morsel of 

 food on coming in contact with it, is glanced 

 into the mouth. After feeding they gathei 

 in large (locks, like the Terns, and so thick- 

 ly do they swarm together that I have 

 brought down over twenty at one discharge 

 of my in guage breach loader, as thej 

 from the beach. When wounded they bring 

 their bills together with such force as to 

 make a loud clicking noise, similar to the 

 Owls. The eggs are three or four, of a 

 buffy or white ground, with clearly defined 

 markings of different shades of lilac and 

 brown, and are verv handsome. 



Association of Ornithologist**. 



A number of the students of bird life ; 

 in Washington, I). C, and vicinity, have 

 decided to organize under the above title 

 and wish the cooperation of any persons 

 similaily interested. Some peliminary meet- 

 ings have been held and the following offi- 

 cers elected. 



President — Rev. J. H. Langille, author of 

 'Our Birds in their Haunts.' 



Vice President — W. H. Aspinwall. 

 Secretary — A. B. Farnham. 

 Corresponding Secretary — W. A. Menitte. 

 The object of the society is the study of 

 birds, by way and means adopted to the 

 avevage observer and to present interesting 

 facts in terms not too technical. 



It is also hoped that it will draw together 

 the great mass, the laity so to speak, of 

 the ornithologists of this country, that they 

 may freely exchange notes and ideas bearing 

 on this verv interesting branch of natural 

 history. 



Any who wish to know more oi this 

 association will please write the Correspond- 

 ing Secretary, at r^8 Md. Ave., X. F... 

 Washington. D. C. An official organ and 

 light dues will be features of this organiz- 

 ation. 



A. B. Farnham. Sec'y. 



