668 A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 



The Noddy, during the past fifty years, has only been observed as a 

 very rare accidental visitant. 



But it is possible that the original Egg Birds may have included 

 other species that are now confined to the West Indies and other 

 southern waters, in the breeding season, for they were only summer 

 visitors in Bermuda. The large size of the eggs (equal to a hen's 

 egg) might indicate the larger tern (Sterna maxima), which still 

 bi-eeds in the Bahamas. The Sterna anosthcetxs, which breeds in 

 the Bahamas, may also have been included. 



c. — The Cahoio ; its History and Extermination. 



The most interesting as well as most important native bird, when 

 the islands were first settled, was called the Cahow, from its note. 

 It bred in almost incredible numbers on some of the smaller islands 

 near St. George's and Castle Harbor, especially on Cooper's Island. 

 It was nocturnal in its habits and was readily called by making loud 

 vocal sounds, and then easily captured by hand, at night. Its flesh 

 was described as of good flavor, and its eggs were highly prized as 

 food. As it came to land and bred in the early part of the winter, 

 when no other birds or eggs were available, it was quickly extermi- 

 nated for food by the reckless colonists. 



It laid a single, large, white egg, described as like a hen's egg in 

 size, color, and flavor. The nest, according to the earliest writers, 

 was a burrow in the sand like a coney's, and not in crevices of the 

 rocks, like that of the shearwaters, with which many writers have 

 tried to identify it. Governor Butler, in his 'Historye of the Ber- 

 mudaes,' alone stated that its eggs and young were found in crevices 

 of the ledges, but he evidently did not have the advantage of per- 

 sonal experience, for at that time the bird was probably extinct, or 

 very nearly so. 



The time of laying its eggs is a very remarkable point, in which 

 it differed from all other birds of northern latitudes. The early con- 

 temporary writers all agree that it laid its egg 'in December or Jan- 

 uary' or 'in the coldest and darkest months of the year.' The 

 shearwaters, even in the West Indies, lay their eggs in spring (March 

 and April) and their eggs are so musky that they are not edible ; 

 certainly no one would compare them to a hen's egg. Their flesh 

 also has so strong a flavor of bad fish-oil and musk that no one 

 would eat it, unless on the verge of starvation ; though the newly 

 hatched young are sometimes eaten by sailors for lack of anything 

 better. 



