BIRDS OF BERMUDA. 22g 
ican continent without the agency of man is doubtful. It is not men- 
tioned by the old historians. Itis certain, however, that, though common 
some few years previous to 1840, it became extinct in the islands from 
that year till 1858 or 1859, when, thanks to the enterprise of Mr. Rich- 
ard Darrell, an importation took place from the United States. Several 
pairs were turned out, and these, increasing rapidly, soon spread over 
the islands to such an extent that the species may now once more be con- 
sidered common. The manners and customs of this handsome bird are 
too well known for me to venture on details. From my notes, however, 
I extract the following, which may prove of interest: It is extremely 
prolific. Mr. Samuel Harvey told me of a nest near his garden contain- 
ing eighteen eggs, every one of which hatched off; there are seldom 
less than twelve eggs in a nest; they sit in the cedar trees on wet days, 
and during the mid-day heat, roosting there at night. When once flushed 
they are very hard to put up a second time, even with good dogs, being 
able, according to popular superstition, to conceal their scent at will; 
they run rapidly, and squat closely in the thick sage-bush, the strong 
smell of which is calculated to puzzle a dog. Their call note is triple, 
“‘hoo-woo-wooit,” the “hoo” indistinct and audible for a short distance 
only. I don’t think ‘‘ Bob White,” the familiar American name, fairly 
represents the call; it is too sharp and well defined. These birds are 
fond of the ripe berries of the sage and cedar; the latter give the flesh 
a decidedly unpleasant aromatic flavor. They also eat the sweet potatoes 
in small pieces. Great numbers of the young are destroyed by the 
swarm of cats which infest the islands. An old ‘ colored” lady once 
accosted a gallant officer of the Fifty-third Regiment, who was beating 
some likely ground near her cottage, and asked him what he was look- 
ing for. ‘“Partridges!” cried she, with a sneer on her sable features, 
“T don’t want a gun to getthem. Why! my cat brings me in one every 
morning!” Cats, however, are not the only foes to be dreaded. The ‘‘col- 
ored” sportsmen take the eggs and eat them, while a white “sports- 
man” resident on the islands was once overheard to say, “It’s all very 
well for the officers; they get lots of practice—can shoot Partridges at 
any time—but the only time I can get them is when they have nests, 
and I can kill the old birds.” No wonder the poor birds are kept down, 
and increase with lamentable slowness. If it were not that they are so 
hard to put up and shoot in a workmanlike manner (two brace being 
quite a “bag” in one day), their extermination would be a matter of a 
few years only. 
