96 Catalogue of Birds. 



vening clouds), and having thus satisfied themselves continued their 

 flight to their old haunts. Whence do these flocks come — from America 

 or Bermuda ? 



" Many stragglers and small flocks settled upon the island and remained 

 until the first part of October, from these were procured the specimens I 

 sent you (Charadrhts Virginicus). I should have mentioned that I left 

 the Key in 1862 on the 14th August, and up to that time none of these 

 flocks had passed. So that from the experience of the last three years I 

 infer that these flocks regularly pass during the first fortnight in Sep- 

 tember. 



" III. Landbirds, Stragglers. 



" Most of the species included here do not come from the N. W. in 

 September, in my experience, and I believe that they are perhaps all 

 permanent residents of the neighboring large islands. Individuals make 

 their first appearance especially during a calm or after a heavy gale. 

 The number of species in this class which I have been able to obtain is 

 very small. Besides the different species of Flycatchers, etc., which I 

 saw during my first two years' residence, of which I have no specimens, 

 and aside from the various kinds visiting parts of the Key and the ves- 

 sels in port, which I did not see but was informed of, I have the local 

 names of nearly twenty birds belonging perhaps to as many species, of 

 most of which I got but a single glimpse during this last year, 1863. 

 To my knowledge no land bird breeds upon this Key. All the members 

 of this class are but mere visitors here, remaining, if at all, but for a day 

 or two, A person resident here for many years would probably be able 

 to procure most or all the species of the islands to windward, and per- 

 haps some from to leeward, according as they might by chance be blown 

 here, or for some reason tempted to cross the channel. 



"My foregoing remarks will at least give you a clearer idea of the 

 insignificance of this little Key as an ornithological field, and I regret for 

 this reason that I have not been a resident of one of the larger islands. 

 As it is, however, I could not have found time to have skinned even this 

 small number of birds had I not possessed an intelligent 'contraband' 

 as a laboratory boy, who, after a few trials, skinned specimens as well as 

 I did. 



"I have not written these notes in the form of a scientific paper from 



