Shufeldt: Birds from Bermuda. 347 



unknown among the petrels; but in the sixteenth and seventeenth 

 centuries ' russet ' was applied to various shades of gray and brown 

 or ash-color, sometimes used restrictively, though in no well-settled 

 sense. Thus in Florio's ' Wo ride of Wordes,' 1598, we find the fol- 

 lowing: ' Grigietto [grigio (Italian) + diminutive ending], a fine 

 graie or sheepes russet.' 



" From the literature there is not the slightest reason to suppose 

 that the Cahow of Bermuda was not a species, though possibly a 

 local and distinctive form, of the genus ^strclata. 



■' Sincerely yours, 



[Signed] Austin H. Clark." 



As Prof. A. E. Verrill was so thoroughly identified with the work- 

 ing out of the zoology of the Bermudas, both in the matter of the 

 existing fauna of the islands and with its presumably extinct forms, 

 I made an attempt to get into touch with him in the work I now had 

 fairly under way. My letter eventually reached him. calling forth 

 the following reply : 



"Norway, Maine, Oct. 24, 1915. 

 "Dear Sir: Your favor of August 25th relating to Bermuda bird 

 bones interested me very much. I suppose they are the same found 

 by Mr. Mowbray several years ago. I tried at that time to have them 

 sent to some expert osteologist, but could not. Perhaps later ones 

 have been found in the newly discovered caves there. ... As soon as 

 I return, probably this week, I will see if we have skeletons of the 

 species you wish, if some one else has not already done so. Dr. Geo. 

 Eaton, who is Curator of Osteology, was away of course during col- 

 lege vacation. Whether he is now back I don't know, but presume 

 he is. 



" Very respectfully yours, 



[Signed] A. E. Verrill. 



" P. S. — We have no fossil bones from Bermuda that would be of 

 use to you. If you lack any of my papers on that subject (Cahow) 

 I can send you copies." 



Later on I received the following letter from Mr. W. P. Pycraft, 

 of the British Museum : 



