BLACK SKIMMER, OR SHEERWATER. 379 
immersions of the Tern, the Gull, or the Fish- Hawk, who, to 
the superficial observer, appear so superiorly accommodated. 
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, particular 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 colour 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 
flapping 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 fre- 
quently 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 frequently reposed 
on its belly, and stretching its neck, rested its long bill on the 
floor. It spent most of its time in this way, or in dressing 
and arranging its plumage with its long scissors-like bill, which 
it seemed to perform with great ease and dexterity. It refused 
every kind of food offered it, and I am persuaded never feeds 
but when on the wing. As to the reports of its frequenting 
oyster beds, and feeding on these fish, they are contradicted 
