38 THE BIRDS OF THE BERMUDAS. 
10th October, 1847; one by Major Wedderburn, on Grace’s Island, 
on the 8th February, 1848 ; and another, mentioned by Mr. Hurdis, 
which frequented the islands for some little time, but was not 
obtained. There is a specimen in Mr. Bartram’s collection, and 
another in that of Mr. Lane, of Hamilton. There were several of 
these birds about the islands in the winter of 1874-5, but they 
were so wary that none were obtained. One was repeatedly seen, 
and once fired at, in the Great Sound; one attached itself to Sf. 
George’s Harbour; and a pair frequented the ‘‘Stag’’ Recks, near 
Shelly Bay, all the winter, conspicuous to the passers-by as they 
sat in solemn security on their accustomed pinnacle. I tried in 
vain to obtain one of these, but never got a shot. One of them 
flew close over my head one morning, but I had not my gun in my 
hand at the moment. [One was shot at Basden’s Pond, by Lieut. 
Tallents, of the 20th Regiment, in the autumn of 1875.—H. D.] 
Tachypetes aquilus, Frigate Bird; Man-of-War Bird.—TIwo were 
obtained at Ireland Island, on the 27th and 30th September, 1848, 
respectively, by Major Wedderburn. One was shot by Capt. 
Clutterbuck, of the 56th Regiment, on September 30th, 1852, and 
another by Capt. Tolcher, of the same Regiment, on April 2nd, 
1854. Mr. Bartram has two specimens in his collection, obtained 
by himself. 
Phaéton flavirostris, 'Tropic-bird.—The geographical distribution 
of the three known species of Tropic-bird, P. e@thereus, P. 
Jlavirostris, and P. rubricauda, seems not yet well defined, and no 
doubt their -extensive wanderings will render any attempt at 
precise limitation extremely difficult, certainly until we are in 
possession of a larger series of observations than at present. P. 
Jlavirosiris (the ‘‘ Boatswain-bird’’ or ‘‘ Long-tail’’ of the Ber- 
mudas) is a familiar and abundant summer visitor to the islands, 
arriving at the end of February or begining of March, and 
departing early in October. It is also recorded on the southern 
shores of Cuba, but I cannot make out any other regular locality 
for it. Where it goes to in winter is not, I believe, satisfactorily 
determined, though it may be taken for granted that the movement 
is in a southerly direction from Bermuda and Cuba. An occasional 
straggler is said to.have been seen in Bermudian waters in winter 
time, presumably an early arrival, or backward young bird left 
behind. One was shot as far north as the coast of Nova Scotia, 
after a violent gale from the south, on the 4th September, 1870. I 
saw this bird in the Halifax Museum. The excellent accounts of 
the habits and nidification of this species given by Mr. Hurdis and 
Major Wedderburn have left me but little to say. The single egg, 
which in colouring is not unlike that of our Kestrel, is deposited in 
holes in the rocks, always in those which have a flooring of sand, 
preference being given to steep and overhanging cliffs on the south 
shore and the islands about Castle Harbour. <A few pairs nest on 
the northern shore, where the cliffs are much lower. Sometimes 
one can see the sitting bird’s long tail-feathers protruding from 
the nest ; while in another case the nest may be so far in, horizon- 
tally, that one cau only tell there is one by the harsh grating cry 
of the disturbed occupant, Both male and female sit, fighting 
