368 Messrs. A. and E. Newton's Observations 



hoping they might come round ; but they did not do so, nor 

 could I discover whither they had gone. I do not think I ever 

 saw the species again." — A. N, 



We believe that several other species of Anatidee occur from 

 time to time, but especially in winter, in the island. From the 

 descriptions which have been given us^ we suppose the Dusky 

 Duck [Anas ubscura, Gmel.) and the American Wigeon {Mareca 

 americana, Steph.) to be among the number ; and in the spring 

 of 1857, a flock of Wild Geese, probably the common Canadian 

 species {Bernicla canadensis, Boie), were said to have been seen ; 

 we are, however, unable to indicate more particularly which 

 members of the family come under the Creole designations of 

 " Teal," " Wigeon," " Diver," &c. 



t 54. Brown Pelican. Pelicanus fuscus, L. ; Aud. pis. 423 

 &424. 



Probably the first birds to meet the eye of a stranger arriving 

 at St. Croix would be a small flock of Pelicans. No shooting 

 being permitted by the police in the roadstead of Frederiksted or 

 harbour of Christiausted, they are there very tame, and take no 

 heed whatever of what is going on, often flying within a few yards 

 of the landing-stages or boats, utterly regardless of the human 

 beings with whom they may or may not be crowded. In other 

 places they are much more wary, and, unless one is concealed, 

 admit of no near approach. A iaw may almost always be seen 

 in a ride along the southern and western shores of the island, 

 either resting lazily on a stump in the water, or with a degree 

 of clumsy activity diving for fish, their occupation being to all 

 appearance affected by the state of their appetite. When en- 

 gaged in taking prey, they fly over the shallows which form their 

 hunting-ground until they find a promising spot; there they 

 alight and begin diving incessantly, and they seem always to 

 rise to the surface, with their heads in a direction contraiy 

 to that in which they had them when they went under. They 

 are said to breed on the island ; but we were unable to ascertain 

 that they did so, though they are probably resident all the year 

 round ; and we believe they do breed at Tortola or on some rocks 

 adjacent to that island. 



