70 BLACK SKIMMER. 



osities, now and then lower themselves to the water, pass their bill along the 

 surface, and on seizing a prawn or a small fish, instantly rise, munch and 

 swallow it on wing. While at Galveston Island, and in the company of my 

 generous friend Edward Harris and my son, I observed three Black Skim- 

 mers, which having noticed a Night Heron passing over them, at once rose 

 in the air, gave chase to it, and continued their pursuit for several hundred 

 yards, as if intent on overtaking it. Their cries during this chase differed 

 from their usual notes, and resembled the barkings of a very small dog. 



The flight of the Black Skimmer is perhaps more elegant than that of any 

 water bird with which I am acquainted. The great length of its narrow 

 wings, its partially elongated forked tail, its thin body and extremely com- 

 pressed bill, all appear contrived to assure it that buoyancy of motion which 

 one cannot but admire when he sees it on wing. It is able to maintain itself 

 against the heaviest gale; and I believe no instance has been recorded of any 

 bird of this species having been forced inland by the most violent storm. 

 But, to observe the aerial movements of the Skimmer to the best advantage, 

 you must visit its haunts in the love season. Several males, excited by the 

 ardour of their desires, are seen pursuing a yet unmated female. The coy 

 one, shooting aslant to either side, dashes along with marvellous speed, flying 

 hither and thither, upwards, downwards, in all directions. Her suitors strive 

 to overtake her; they emit their love-cries with vehemence; you are glad- 

 dened by their softly and tenderly enunciated ha, ha, or the hack, hack, cae, 

 cae, of the last in the chase. Like the female they all perform the most 

 curious zigzags, as they follow in close pursuit, and as each beau at length 

 passes her in succession, he extends his wings for an instant, and in a manner 

 struts by her side. Sometimes a flock is seen to leave a sand-bar, and fly off 

 in a direct course, each individual apparently intent on distancing his com- 

 panions; and then their mingling cries of ha, ha, hack, hack, cae, cae, fill 

 the air. I once saw one of these birds fly round a whole flock that had 

 alighted, keeping at the height of about twenty yards, but now and then 

 tumbling as if its wings had suddenly failed, and again almost upsetting, in 

 the manner of the Tumbler Pigeon. 



On the 5th of May, 1S37, I was much surprised to find a large flock of 

 Skimmers alighted and apparently asleep, on a dry grassy part of the interior 

 of Galveston Island in Texas, while I was watching some Marsh Hawks 

 that were breeding in the neighbourhood. On returning to the shore, how- 

 ever, I found that the tide was much higher than usual, in consequence of a 

 recent severe gale, and had covered all the sand banks on which I had at 

 other times observed them resting by day. 



The instinct or sagacity which enables the Razor-bills, after being scattered 

 in all directions in quest of food during a long night, often at great distances 



