BLACK SKIMMER. 
229 
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, 1887, 1 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 distance* 
