BIRDS OF THE BAHAMA ISLANDS. 25 
the difficulties of their transportation to the coast. I was told that 
ambergris used to be found in considerable quantities along the 
shores, but is now scarce. Several species of birds were taken on 
this island which we did not find elsewhere. Among them were the 
rare Kirtland’s Warbler (Dendroeca kirtlandiz) and the beautiful little 
Humming-bird (Sporadinus recordt). 
Sandpipers, Plovers, Tattlers, Oyster-catchers, etc., were abun. 
dant. Turkey Buzzards were common, and it is a curious fact that 
although this species is very plentiful on Andros Island and at 
Abaco, none are to be found on the other islands, except, perhaps, 
an occasional straggler. 
The island presents about the same appearance throughout; its 
rocky shore is inhabited only by a few settlements of negroes, who 
live in the most primitive manner, in their thatch-roofed houses, 
surrounded by their cocoanuts and bananas, seeming as happy and 
contented as possible. The people are friendly and obliging, and, 
for a small consideration, will make themselves very useful to the 
sportsman. 
Although there are several good-sized villages on the eastern 
shore of the island, as there are no white inhabitants, provisions are 
very difficult to procure. Even eggs are scarce, and command a 
high price, the negroes often coming off to the vessel, bringing one 
or two eggs carefully packed in leaves, for which they demand 
from four to five cents apiece. Fruit can be obtained everywhere. 
We often purchased bunches of bananas for twenty or twenty-five 
cents which were so large as to require all our strength to lift them; 
and other fruits were proportionately cheap. 
4 
