178 BIRDS OF BERMUDA. 



Three examples are recorded by Colonel Wedderburn: two at St. 

 George's, October 25, 1849, and one at Spanish Point, February 27, 1850. 

 In Mr. Bartram's collection are three specimens. 1 shot a fine male on 

 the north shore, close to the old lunatic asylum, on January 29, 1875. 

 It fell into the sea, in the middle of a huge mass of gulf weed, through 

 which I had to swim some distance for it. Fortunately, I was not ob- 

 served, or I might have found myself an inmate of the adjacent build- 

 ing. Lieutenant Denison, Royal Engineers, obtained two specimens, 

 after my departure, in January, 1876. 



Genus Alauda, Linn. 

 11. Alauda arvensis, Linn. European Skylark. 



Alauda arvensis, Linn. 



Alauda italica, Gm. 



Alauda vulgaris, Leach. 



Alauda montana, Brehm. 



Alauda cantarella, Bp. 



Alauda dulcivox, Hodge. 



Alauda japonica, pekinensis, intermedia, Swinhoe. 



Length, 7.25 ; wing, 4.50. 

 Eab. — Europe generally ; Asia; Madeira; Bermuda (accidental); Egypt 

 and N, Africa. 



Mr. Hurdis shot the only exami^le of this well-known bird on June 12, 

 1850, It had no appearance of being an escaped cage bird, and I do 

 not see why a strong gale should not have driven it even to such a dis- 

 tance from its ordinary line of flight. Professor Newton, in hi.s fourth 

 edition of Yarrell's " British Birds," alludes to this specimen in describ- 

 ing the geographical distribution of the species, but seems inclined to 

 doubt its being a genuine wild bird. It is worthy of remark that this 

 unfortunate bird was described to Mr. Hurdis by a "coloured" lad as 

 being "less than a pigeon, and of a light-green colour about the neck"; 

 also as making a "curious noise" in the air, and as not knowing ap- 

 parently "how to get down again," finally " tumbling down like a stone." 

 This is a fair sample of the information one may expect in Bermuda. 



