BLACK SKIMMER 



87 



short, whoever has attentively examined this curious apparatus^ 

 and observed the possessor with his ample wings, long bending 

 neck, and lower mandible occasionally dipt into and ploughing 

 the surface, and the facility with which he procures his food, can- 

 not but consider it a mere playful amusement when compared with 

 the dashing immersions of the Tern, the Gull, or the Fish-Hawk, 

 who, to the superficial observer, appear so superiorly accommo- 

 dated. 



The Sheerwater is most frequently seen skimming close along 

 shore about the first of the flood, at which time the young fry, 

 shrimp, &c., are most abundant in such places. There are also 

 numerous inlets among the low islands between the sea beach and 

 main land of Cape May, where I have observed the Sheerwaters, 

 eight or ten in company, passing and repassing at highwater par- 

 ticular estuaries of those creeks that run up into the salt marshes, 

 dipping, with extended neck, their open bills into the water, with 

 as much apparent ease as Swallows glean up flies from the surface. 

 On examining the stomachs of several of these, shot at the time, 

 they contained numbers of a small fish, usually called silver-sides^ 

 from a broad line of a glossy silver color that runs from the gills 

 to the tail. The mouths of these inlets abound with this fry, or 

 fish, probably feeding on the various matters washed down from 

 the marshes. 



The voice of the Sheerwater is harsh and screaming, resem- 

 bling that of the Tern, but stronger. It flies with a slowly flap- 

 ping flight, dipping occasionally, with steady expanded wings and 

 bended neck, its lower mandible into the sea, and with open mouth 

 receiving its food as it ploughs along the surface. It is rarely seen 

 swimming on the water; but frequently rests in large parties on 

 the sand bars at low water. One of these birds which I wounded 

 in the wing, and kept in the room beside me for several days, soon 

 became tame and even familiar. It generally stood with its legs 

 erect^ its body horizontal, and its neck rather extended. It fre^ 



