BIRDS OF BERMUDA. 227 



ican continent without the agency of man is doubtful. It is not men- 

 tioned by the old historians. It is certain, however, that, though common 

 some few years previous to 1840, it became extinct in the islands from 

 that year till 1858 or 1859, when, thanks to the enterprise of Mr. Kich- 

 ard Darrell, an importation took place from the United States. Several 

 pairs were turned out, and these, increasing rapidly, soon spread over 

 the islands to such an extent that the species may now once more be con- 

 sidered common. The manners and customs of this handsome bird are 

 too well known for me to venture on details. From my notes, however, 

 I extract the following, which may prove of interest: It is extremely 

 prolitic. jMr. Samuel Ilarvey told me of a nest near his garden contain- 

 ing eighteen eggs, every one of which hatched off; there are seldom 

 less than twelve eggs in a nest; they sit in the cedar trees on wet days, 

 and <luring the mid-day heat, roosting there at night. When once Hushed 

 they are very hard to put up a second time, even with good dogs, being 

 able, according to popular superstition, to conceal their scent at will; 

 they run rapidly, and squat closely in the thick sage-bush, the strong 

 smell of which is calculated to puzzle a dog. Their call note is triple, 

 "hoo-woo-wooit," the "hoo" indistinct and audible for a short distance 

 only. I don't think "Bob White," the familiar American name, fairly 

 represents the call; it is too sharj) and well defined. These birds are 

 fond of the ripe berries of the sage and cedar; the latter give the flesh 

 a decidedly unpleasant aromatic flavor. They also eat the sweet potatoes 

 in small i)ieces. Great numbers of the young are destroj'ed by the 

 swarm of cats which infest the islands. An old " colored" lady once 

 accosted a gallant officer of the Fifty-third Regiment, who was beating 

 some likely ground near her cottage, and asked him what he was look- 

 ing I'or. "Partridges!" cried she, with a sneer on her sable features, 

 "7 don't want a gun to get them. Why ! my cat brings me in one every 

 morning ! " Cats, however, are not the only foes to be dreaded. The " col- 

 ored " sportsmen take the eggs and eat them, while a white "sports- 

 man" resident on the islands was once overheard to say, "It's all very 

 well for the officers ; they get lots of practice — can shoot Partridges at 

 any time — but the only time I can get them is when thoy have nests, 

 and I can kill the old birds." No wonder the poor birds are kept down, 

 and increase with lamentable slowness. If it were not that they are so 

 hard to put up and shoot in a workmanlike manner (two brace being 

 quite a "bag" in one day), their extermination would be a matter of a 

 few years only. 



