26 o 
SWIMMERS. 
This is the most northerly in its range of the Jaegers, and has 
the widest distribution. Its breeding area lies exclusively within 
the Arctic Circle, and follows that line throughout its circuit. These 
birds appear off the New England coasts during the spring and 
f all , and at those seasons are common in the Bay of Fundy. As 
they have not been seen near the shore farther to the southward, 
they probably winter on mid-ocean. 
In its habits the Long-tailed Jaeger does not differ materially 
from the other species. 
BLACK SKIMMER. 
RAZOR-BILL. 
Rynchops nigra. 
Char. Upper parts black, deeper on the wings; outer tail-feathers 
white ; forehead, patch on the wings, and under parts white ; bill long 
and compressed, the lower mandible much longer than the upper ; basal 
half of bill bright red, the rest black ; legs and feet red. Length 17 to 19 
-inches. 
Nest. A slight hollow scratched in the sand of a sea-beach or barren 
island. 
Eg^s. 2-5 ; creamy white or pale buff boldly marked with rich brown 
and lilac; average size about 1.75 X 1.35. 
The Cut-water, or Black Skimmer, is a bird of passage in 
the United States, appearing in New Jersey from its tropical 
winter quarters early in May. Here it resides, and breeds in 
its favorite haunts along the low sand-bars and dry flats of the 
strand, in the immediate vicinity of the ocean. The nests of 
these birds have been found along the shores of Cape May 
about the beginning of June, and consist of a mere hollow 
scratched out in the sand, without the addition of any extrane- 
ous materials. As the birds, like the Terns and Gulls, to which 
they are allied, remain gregarious through the breeding-season, 
it is possible to collect a half bushel or more of the eggs from 
a single sand-bar within the compass of half an acre ; and 
though not very palatable, they are still eaten by the inhabi- 
tants of the coast. The female only sits on her nest during 
the night or in wet and stormy weather ; but the young 
