THE BIRDS OF THE BERMUDAS. 415 
1854, at Somerset. Mr. Hurdis found it amongst his collection of 
skins on the 20th of the same month, when Capt. Tolcher assured 
him that Mr. Harford, of his regiment, had killed another specimen 
about the same time, which, from being very much mutilated, he 
had unfortunately thrown away” (Nat. in B., p. 27). A third 
example, a male in splendid plumage, is in my own collection. 
J shot it near Hungry Bay, on April 28th, 1875. The bill and feet 
of this bird were bright livid blue. 
Corvus americanus, American Crow.—The early history of this 
bird, so far as the Bermudas are concerned, is somewhat obscure. 
In Smith’s ‘ History of Virginia’ (to which colony Bermuda at one 
time belonged), date 1623, Crows are mentioned as being numerous 
in the islands. Major Wedderburn says, however (Nat. in B., 
p- 33):—“A few of these birds are generally to be seen between 
the lighthouse and Hamilton. I have never found their nests, but 
they are known to have bred, as a few young Crows were observed 
near Warwick Church during the first week of April, 1849. It is 
supposed that they were introduced from Nova Scotia some few 
years ago.” Mr. Hurdis did not, apparently, find the species 
numerous, for he says (Nat. in B., p. 66):—‘‘In August, 1854, 
eleven of these Crows were observed associating together at Gibbs 
Hill, by the late Colonel Oakley, 56th Regiment. This was double 
the number which had hitherto frequented those parts, and arose, 
doubtless, from the young of that season.” It is somewhat difficult 
to reconcile the above evidence. Can the species, once numerous, 
have become extinct, and have then been introduced again? This 
is possible, but I am inclined to the belief that there have been 
Crows, more or less, in Bermuda since 1623, their wary nature and 
their partiality for the dense cedar groves causing them to have 
been but little noticed. However it may be, they are numerous 
now ; so much so, that a price has been set on their devoted heads 
by a recent enactment—half-a-crown a bird, and sixpence an egg. 
That this is a wise and necessary measure is universally conceded, 
‘as they do much damage in the breeding season, by destroying 
young poultry, and the eggs and young of the other resident birds. 
As is well known, this species is gregarious, except during the 
actual time of breeding. As soon as the young are well able to 
fly, the scattered families consort together. I have seen as many 
as sixteen in one flock in June. Three or four are commonly seen 
together in winter, when they frequent the rocky shores in search 
