A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 6*71 



This is the only original statement that I find, among the early 

 writings, that it lived in holes of rocks. It is possible, however, 

 that it lived in all available holes, either in those made in the soil by 

 the abundant land crabs or those found among rocks. It may not 

 have made its own burrows, when other holes were available. 

 Captain John Smith's account was compiled from those given above. 

 He did not visit Bermuda. 



The following account, also from Governor Butler's " Historye," 

 relates to the famine of 1615 (see ch. 23, p. 552), and shows one 

 principal cause of the very rapid extermination of the birds : 



" Whilst this Pinnace was on her way for England, scarcetie and 

 famine every day more and more prevayleinge upon the sickly 

 colony, caused the governour to look well about him ; in the begin- 

 ning of the newe yeare, therefore [1615], 150 persons of the most 

 ancient, sick, and weake, wer sent into Coopers Hand, ther to be 

 relieved by the comeinge in of the sea-birds, especially the Cahowes, 

 wher, by this half hunger-starved company, they are found in infinite 

 numbers, and with all so tame and amazed they are, that upon the 

 least howeteinge or noyce, they would fall downe, and light upon 

 their shoulders as they went, and leggs as they satt, suffering them- 

 selves to be caught faster than they could be killed." " Wittnesse 

 the generall carriage and behaviour of this company, who being thus 

 arrived and gott up to a libertie and choice of eateing as much as 

 they would, how monstrous was it to see, how greedily everything 

 was swallowed downe ; how incredible to speake, how many dozen 

 of thoes poore silly creatures, that even offered themselves to the 

 slaughter, wer tumbled downe into their bottomlesse mawes: wher- 

 upon (as the sore effect of so ranck a cause, the birds with all being 

 exceedeingly fatt) then sodenly followed a generall surfettinge, much 

 sicknesse, and many of their deathes." 



The season of the year when these people were sent to Cooper's 

 Island confirms the statement that the cahow was the bird that they 

 fed upon and destroyed so ruthlessly. 



In the " Plain and True Relation " by the Rev. Lewis Hughes, 

 London, 1621, there is also a graphic account of the famine of 1615, 

 from which the following extract is taken : 



"The first night that I lay in the Hand, which you call Coopers 

 Hand (whither the lazie starving crewe were sent, and with them 

 some honest industrious persons, though then much out of heart, and 

 now living and well, thanks unto God) when I saw in every Cabbin 

 Pots and kettles full of birds boyling, and some on spits rosting, 



