348 S K I M M E R.
P lace and
Manners.
parts of the body and wings, dufky black: acrofs the wings a
bar of white: the tail is much fhorter than- the wings, and
forked in fhape; the two middle feathers are black ; the next
on each fide the fame, margined outwardly with white ; the four
outer ones white, dafhed with .dufky down the fhafts, leaft fo on
the outer feathers: legs weak and red : claws black.
The male and female both alike.
Some birds are brown inftead of black, and the white beneath
lefs pure.
This bird inhabits America, from New' York to Guiana,
Cayenne, and Surinam; and, according to Ray, the Eaft Indies
alfo. It is commonly on the wing, and fkims the furface of the
water, continually dipping in its bill, , to take up fmall fi[h, on
which it principally feeds. In ftormy. weather feeks the fhores,
and lives on oyjiers and other Jhell-fiJb, which the fhape of the
bill enables it to open. It is called at Madras, Coddel Cauka, or
Summoodra Cauky j at Guiana, Taya-taya; and at New York,
Skippog *. By fome thefe birds are called Razor-bills.,
T.
V a'r. A.
Rynchops fulva, Lin. SjJi. i. p. 229. 2.
Le Bec-en-cifeaux fauve, Sri/. On:, vi. p. 227. A.
Description. ^T’ H IS differs from the laft, in haying thofe parts of a fulvous
colour which in that are of a black brown; but in other
things it entirely agrees.
Place. Inhabits Guiana,
* Dr. BJagden.
G enus