482 
RHYNCHROPS NIGRA. 
with the Sooty Terns, but always places the nest in trees, and like the other species,is 
so tame that the eggs may be removed from beneath the bird without causing it to leave 
the nest. The eggs are deposited early in May. 
GENUS IV. RHYNCHOPS. THE SKIMMERS. 
Bill, broad at base , much compressed laterally, with the lower mandible extending considerably beyona upper. Legs and 
wings, long. 
Members of this genus are remarkable on account of the peculiarly constructed bill, the elongated under mandible of 
■which has numerous oblique ridges along its sides. Tail, short and forked. There is but one species within our limits. 
RHYNCHOPS NIGRA. 
Black Skimmer. 
Rhynchops nigra Linn., Syst. Nat., I, 1766, 228. # 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, robust. Size, large. Color. Adult. Above sooty-black, with tips of secondaries, forehead, outer 
webs of tail feathers, and entire under parts, white. Bill, black, yellow at base, iris, brown, and feet, yellow. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Known by the peculiar bill. . Distributed, in summer, from New Jersey, southward. Rare further north. Winters 
in Florida. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens. Length, 17-52; stretch, 41 - 95; wing, 1P75; tail, 5'25; bill, 3’72; tarsus, P35. 
Longest specimen, 20-10; greatest extent of wing, 44-05; longest wing, 15'52; tail, 612, bill, 4 - -52: tarsus, 1'53. Shortest 
‘specimen, 14 95; smallest extent of wing, 39'98; shortest wing, 14 05; tai}, 4 38; bill, 2 - 88; tarsus, 1'20. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. . 
Eggs, placed on the ground in sandy places, two or three in number, oval in form, yellowish-white in color, spotted and 
blotched rather coarsely with brown, umber, and lilac of varying shades. Dimensions from 1 '35 x 165 to l"40x 198. 
HABITS. 
One night, late in December, after a long and stormy voyage from the cold, frozen 
North, I was -leaning over the rail of a steamer which was lying at Fernandina, Florida, en¬ 
joying the summer-like warmth of the air, and watching the play of the moonlight on the 
water, when I was almost startled by hearing a harsh note, sounding like the bark of a 
young dog. Turning quickly in the direction of the sound, I saw several shadowy forms 
moving swiftly along the surface of the water, but they quickly disappeared in the sur¬ 
rounding gloom, yet the singular note came to my ears several times from the distance. 
What these mysterious birds were, I knew not at the time, but later, discovered that the note 
I then heard, was produced by the Black Skimmers, and I found that the habit of flying by 
night in order to feed, was regular; in fact, the species is almost wholly nocturnal in win¬ 
ter. I have, however, frequently seen them on cloudy days, skimming along in the usu¬ 
al way, with the elongated under mandible beneath the water. They generally move in 
small companies and fly up rivers or creeks. During the day, they gather in large flocks 
on sand-bars to rest, but are exceedingly wild and very difficult to approach. They breed 
late, about June first in Florida, but not until the last of the month, further north. The 
handsomely marked eggs are deposited on the naked sand. 
GENUS V. LARUS. THE GULLS. 
Gen. Ch. Bill, shorter than head, usually strong, somewhat curved. Legs, long, toes webbed to tips, while the tail is ei¬ 
ther rounded, square, or emarginate. 
Members of this genus are usually large in size and light in color. We have eight species within our limits. 
LARUS GLAUCUS. 
Glaucous GuH. 
Larus glaucus Brun., Orn. Bor.; 1764, 44. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, robust. Size, very large. Color. Adult. Back and upper portion of wings, very light pearly-blue. 
