148 
EHYNCHOPS NIGRA. 
only during the night, or in wet and stormy weathef' 
The young remain for several weeks before they st® 
able to lly ; are fed with great assiduity by both parents* 
and seem to delight in lying with loosened wings, n* 
on the sand, enjoying its invigorating warmth. 
breed but onee in the season. 
The singular conformation of the bill of this bird n^ 
excited much surprise; and some winters, measuri®* 
the divine proportions of nature by their own contract® 
standards of conception, in the plenitude of their vannj 
have pronounced it to be “ a lame and defective weapon- 
Such ignorant presumption, or rather impiety, ouf® 
to hide its head in the dust on a calm display of 
peculiar construction of this singular bird, and tn 
wisdom by which it is so admirably adapted to tn, 
purposes or mode of existence for which it was intend® 
The sheerwater is fonned for skimming, while on u'tn« 
the surface of the sea for its food, which consists 
small fish, shrimps, young fry, &c. whose usual Imn® ' 
are near the shore, and tow ards the surface. That 
lower mandible, when dipt into and cleaving the 
might not retwd the bird’s way, it is thinned n® 
sharpened like the blade of a knife; the upper mandi®^ 
being, at such times, elevated above water, is curtai* 
in its length, as being less necessa^, but iapei^.J 
gradually to a point, that, on shutting, it may o® 
less opposition. To prevent inconvenience from * ^ 
rushing of the water, the mouth is confined to 
mere opening of the gullet, which, indeed, preV®’’^|, 
mastication taking place there ; hut the stomach) 
gizzard, to which this business is solely allotted, 
uncommon hardness, strength, and muscnliu-itj") Iji, 
surpassing-, in these respects, any other rvater biro j 
which 1 am acquainted. To all these is added a 
ex])ansiou of wing, to enable the bird to sail ’Ll , 
sufficient celerity while dipping in the water. ^ p 
genenil proportion of the length of our swiftest 
and sw-allows, to their breadth, is as one to two ; “ 
in the present case, as there is not only the resist* ^ 
of the air, but also that of the water, to overcom®* 
