THE BIRDS OF THE BERMUDAS. 13 
Pyranga rubra, Scarlet Tanager.—This handsome bird has visited 
the Bermudas on its vernal migration on several occasions. Two 
or three examples were obtained in April, 1850; four were seen, 
and one shot, in May, 1851. Mr. Bartram has several specimens, 
male and female, and obtained a splendid male near his house 
early in May, 1875. One was seen and nearly captured after an 
exciting hunt by Lieut. Denison, R.E., at Somerset, on April 25th, 
1875. Mr. J. M. Jones informs me that a male was shot on the 
edge of the lagoon at Ireland Island on May 6th, 1869; also that 
another frequented a garden in Smith’s Parish for several days at 
the beginning of May, 1875. The female is such an obscure-look- 
ing bird that she doubtless often escapes the notice invariably 
accorded to her brilliant partner. There is no recorded instance 
of the occurrence of this species on its southward journey. Capt. 
Rooke, 53rd Regiment, and I saw what we took to be a female 
Scarlet Tanager on October 17th, 1874, near Basden’s Pond; but 
we could not get a shot to confirm our suspicions. 
Pyranga estiva, Summer Red Bird.—The same remarks apply to 
this species, with reference to its visits to the islands, as to the 
preceding. It appears to have been especially numerous in April, 
1850, when a female was shot on the 9th; a beautiful male, by 
Major Wedderburn, at Peniston’s Pond, on the 19th; two by the 
same gentleman, at Harris’s Bay, on the 20th; and several others. 
Mr. Bartram has a male and two females, one of the latter killed a 
year or two since. On the 29th April, 1875, I shot a fine female in 
Smith’s Marsh; it was in wonderful condition, the body being 
literally coated with layers of orange-coloured fat. The stomach 
was full of the remains of the Bermuda wasp—a most unpalatable- 
looking morsel, I should have thought. Wilson alludes to the 
insectivorous habits of this species. 
Hirundo horreorum, Barn Swallow.—I shall take the liberty of 
quoting from the ‘‘ Naturalist in Bermuda,’’ to illustrate the un- 
certain appearance of the Swallow tribe in the islands. Mr. Hurdis 
says (p. 68) :—‘‘I can with safety affirm that from October, 1840, 
to September 12th, 1846, not a Swallow of any description came 
under my observation, though I believe they were sufficiently 
common in the September of the former year.’? Major Wedder- 
burn says of this species (p. 34) :—‘‘ Rarely seen in April and May, 
but sometimes numerous in August and September. I have seen it 
as early as August Ist in the year 1848, at Hamilton, and they were 
numerous on that day at Hungry Bayvand Riddle’s Bay. This 
species was very numerous in the great flight of Swallows in Sep- 
tember, 1849.’’ A few Swallows, probably of this species, appeared 
in August, 1874, but I was away at the time. From April 30th to 
May 11th, 1875, there were not a few visitors, and several specimens 
were obtained. Five of these birds frequented the grassy slopes in 
the vicinity of Warwick Camp, while I was going through the 
annual course of musketry there with my company. They dis- 
appeared on May 11th, without my having been able to procure a 
specimen. : 
Tachycineta bicolor, White-bellied Swallow.—Has only visited the 
islands once, in the great flight of September, 1846, when it ap- 
