A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 681 



young- Herons : besides many white Herons, without so much as a 

 blacke or srrev feather on them : with other birds so tame and oentle 

 that a man walking in the woods with a sticke and whistling to them, 

 they will come and gaze on you so neare that you may strike and 

 kill many of them with your sticke." 



Hearn Bay or " White Hearn Bay," as it was called on Norwood's 

 map of 1626, was one of the principal breeding places, but probably 

 there were others in the mangrove swamps. 



The wanton destruction of the White Herons or Egrets and their 

 nests, in early times, very soon attracted the attention of the Gov- 

 ernor and Council, for the following law was made in 1621, accord- 

 ing to Governor Butler : 



" A proclamation came then abroad also for the preservation of 

 wilde foule, and in particular for the white hearnes, for their breed - 

 inge time draweinge nere, it was doubted that, by the encrease of 

 newe commers, and especially boyes, a great waste might be prac- 

 tised upon them by the takeing away of their eggs and spoyleing of 

 their nests." 



In spite of this law which, like many others, was probably never 

 enforced, the White Herons were soon nearly or quite exterminated 

 or driven away. There is no evidence that they bred regularly or 

 ordinarily on the islands for over 230 years, from 1650 to 1880. 

 Hurdis, during his residence of 1 4 years, recorded both species of 

 white herons, but only as rather rare migrants. 



Since they and their nests have been protected by the bird law of 

 1881, and still more, perhaps, by public sentiment, one or two pairs 

 have occasionally returned to breed. Perhaps, with strict protection, 

 more may eventually come back. Apparently one pair of egrets 

 had bred in 1890. 



g. — The American Crow. (Corvus Americanus Aud.) 



The crows were abundant and very tame when the islands were 

 first settled, according to Governor Butler and other early writers ; 

 but by constant persecution they were soon mostly driven away or 

 killed. Probably a few pairs have always remained as residents of 

 the islands, nesting in the remoter parts in thick cedars. Possibly 

 the Fish Crow may also have been native here at first. For Gov- 

 ernor Butler's statement, see p. 665. 



Mr. Hurdis, about 1849-54, found it breeding in small numbers, 

 and estimated that there were about 12 to 15 pairs living on the 



