»;sl' 



A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 



islands at that time. Capt. Reid noticed a few pairs breeding, and 

 found one or two nests in April, 1875. He mentions seeing as many 

 as 16 in a flock. It has been stated, but without good evidence, that 

 it was introduced from Nova Scotia about 1840, but it certainly 

 existed here long before. Whether the species had been entirely 

 exterminated here before that date is not known. It is more likely 

 that the few individuals left were so wary and shy that they were 

 seldom seen. 



In 1881 the legislature offered a bounty for their destruction (see 

 p. 680), which seems to us a very mistaken policy, for they destroy 

 large numbers of noxious insects and insect larvre, thus doing much 

 more good than harm. 



In 1901 we saw very few crows, and the species is evidently 

 rapidly disappearing from the islands. 



30. — Partial Extermination of the Whales. 



a. — The Hump-back Whale {Megaptera hoops (L.) or 31. nodosa 



Bonnat.) 



Figure 44. 



According to the early writers whales were at first very abundant 

 and tame about the Bermudas. The common species was the Hump- 

 back Whale, which arrived here about the last of February or first 

 of March, during its northward migrations, and remained till about 

 the 1st of June. Most of these were females, accompanied by a 

 suckling "cub," 15 to 30 feet long. 



Figure 44. — Hump-back Whale (Megaptera boops L. or M. nodosa Bonnat.). 



After G. O. Sara. 



But the Biscay Right Whale was also sometimes seen here, and 

 occasionally a " Fin-back," but the latter was seldom if ever taken, 

 on account of its pugnacity. The Sperm Whale was also common, 

 though never abundant. In the 17th century it was rarely taken. 

 but in the 18th century many were killed. At the present time all 



