THE BIRDS OF THE BERMUDAS. 481 
Major Wedderburn procured several specimens between 1847 and 
1850. I shot a female near the Sluice-gates on March Ist, 1875. 
[One was obtained at Basden’s Pond in December, 1875.—H. D.] 
Rallus virginianus, Virginian Rail.—One was shot by Mr. Hurdis 
on the 6th November, 1851. He remarks, “This is the only 
genuine Hail met with—a singular circumstance, when we bear in 
mind that ald the Gallinules and Crake-Gallinules known ‘to the 
continent of North America have been obtained in the Bermudas.” 
Porzana carolina, Carolina Rail; Sora Rail.—Visits Bermuda 
regularly, arriving early in September (one has been shot on the 
24th August), and remaining till November, a few lingering on 
through the winter. On their vernal migration they frequently 
appear in considerable numbers in March and April. I have seen 
them as late as the lst May. An extraordinary large flight visited 
the islands in October, 1849, departing in a body after a three- 
weeks’ stay. ‘These birds are a great nuisance to the gunner in 
search of Snipe and other denizens of the marshes, as they bother 
a dog sadly both. by their numbers and their skulking habits; and 
they themselves are not worth powder and shot, except immediately 
after their arrival. 
Porzana noveboracensis, Yellow Rail.—Two obtained in Pem- 
broke Marsh by Major Wedderburn in October, 1847. 
Porzana jamaicensis, Black Rail.—Observed, and also obtained, 
by Major Wedderburn in 1847 and 1848, and by Mr. Hurdis in 
1851, always in the autumn. 
Crea pratensis, Comm Crake; Land Rail.—Major Wedderburn 
shot the only specimen of this European bird ever obtained in 
Bermuda, on the 25th October, 1847, and sent a notice of its 
occurrence to ‘The Zoologist’ in 1849. At that time it was 
probably not known that the species is a straggler to the United 
States, but latterly several instances of its appearance there have 
been recorded, so that the fact of its being killed in Bermuda 
has lost much of the mystery which was originally connected 
with it. 
Gallinula chloropus? (var. galeata), Florida Gallinule; Moor- 
hen.—Resident, tolerably abundant, breeding in the flags and 
sedges in the deepest and most inaccessible parts of the marshes. 
Also migratory, visitors appearing in October. Like the “Sora,” 
this is a sad pest to the snipe-shooter when working the thick 
places, unless his dog be as steady as old Time. The Latin name 
3Q 
