THE BIRDS OF THE BERMUDAS. 31 
that not only the body, but the webs and shafts of the feathers, 
had been devoured by a swarm of voracious ants. 
[Limosa hudsonica, Hudsonian Godwit.—A specimen of this bird 
in Mr. Bartram’s collection was shot near the Causeway eat St. 
George’s in the autumn of 1875.-—H. D.] 
Totanus semipalmatus, Willet.—One was shot by Major Wedder- 
burn on Pearl Island on July 3rd, 1848; doubtless a young bird 
driven by stress of weather from the breeding haunts of the species 
on the North American shores. 
Totanus melanoleucus, Greater Yellowshank.—More or less common, 
arriving early in August, remaining for a month or so. Much in 
request among the energetic sportsmen who brave the heat and 
mosquitoes for the sake of a “‘bag”’ of ‘‘snippets.’’ Its quadruple 
note, ‘‘thew-thew-thew-thew,”’ is very loud and striking. Mr. 
Hurdis mentions one killed when on its northward migration, on 
the 5th June, 1852. Another was shot by Lieut. Denison on the 
27th April, 1875, and one seen at the same time, but not obtained. 
Totanus flavipes, Yellowshank.—The most conspicuous and noisy 
of the August arrivals. It has been seen as early as the 13th July, 
but usually disappears towards the end of September. Consider- 
able numbers fall victims to the gun, as they are not bad eating. 
If a wounded one falls into the water it is possible to shoot the 
whole of the flock, as they hover over their unfortunate companion. 
This murderous proceeding is alluded to, I think, by Wilson. The 
only instances of the occurrence of this species in the spring took 
place in 1875, when I saw one on the 26th, and obtained two at 
Peniston’s Pond on the 29th April. These were, of course, in 
beautiful plumage. 
Totanus solitarius, Solitary Sandpiper.—l observed one on the 
19th July, 1874, but they generally come with the other species in 
August. ‘They soon betake themselves to the wooded swamps, 
where they may be found singly or in pairs throughout the autumn. 
Fresh arrivals sometimes take place in the spring. Their habit of 
bobbing the head and body when alarmed is very comical. I 
always found them very tame, eyen when I was accompanied by 
a big Clumber spaniel, whose elephantine advances in no way 
disconcerted them. 
Tringoides macularius, Spotted Sandpiper.—Flocks of young birds 
appear early in August, followed soon after by a limited number 
of adults. They frequent the same places as the other ‘‘ snippets,”’ 
and serve to swell the “‘bag”’ of the gunner in August and Sep- 
tember. A few remain all the winter, and several examples have 
been observed in spring, presumably strangers on their way north. 
The ‘‘ weet-weet’’ of this bird, as it skims over the water like our 
Kuropean Common Sandpiper, is yery familiar to residents in the 
islands. 
Actiturus Bartramius, Bartram’s Sandpiper.~One in my collec- 
tion was shot by Gibbs at Peniston’s Pond on September 20th, 
1874. It was a single bird, and was in company with a flock of 
small Sandpipers at the time. [I obtained another in a ficld near 
Peniston’s Pond on the 18th September, 1875.—H. D.] 
Numenius hudsonicus, Hudsonian Curlew.—Appears early in 
