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 compressed 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 aërial 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 gladdened 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 companions; 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 1837, I 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, however, 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 distances from each other, to congregate again towards morning, previously to their alighting on a spot to rest, has appeared to me truly wonderful; and I have been tempted to believe that the place of rendezvous had been agreed upon the evening before. They have a great enmity towards Crows and Turkey Buzzards when at their breeding ground, and on the first appearance of these marauders, some dozens of Skimmers at once give chase to them, rarely desisting until quite out of sight.