72 JONES ON KARER BIRDS OF NOVA SCOTIA. 



jjositions, where they otherwise are rarely, if ever, observed; 

 and I cannot omit to notice, in connection with this subject, the 

 unusual opportunities afforded nie and my brother naturalists. 

 Major Wedderburn and Mr. Hurdis, Avhile residing iu the 

 Bermudas, of observing the effect of wind storms upon various 

 species of North American migratory birds. During the moriths 

 of September and October, particularly the latter month, the 

 vast numbers of birds, of very different species, which invari- 

 ably made their appearance after a heavy gale from the north 

 west, proved beyond a doubt, that while on their southern 

 passage down the eastern coast of America, they became the 

 sport of the tempest, and whirled hither and thither at its mercy, 

 got at last happily cast upon the sunny isles of Bermuda, while 

 thousands of their fellows no doubt met with a watery grave.* 



Over 130 species of North American birds, never known to 

 breed or even reside for more than a few days in these islands, 

 have been observed at different times after heavy northern gales, 

 and some of the.m which we know to be strictly boreal forms 

 <30uld not have migrated so far south of their own accord. The 

 Snow Bunting {Emberiza nivalis,) and the snowy ovvd (Strix 

 nyctea) are examples that might l)e added to. 



During my observations both iu Europe and America, I have 

 found that occasionally a bird, perhaps of a different kiud 

 .altogether, will accompanj' a flock of other birds on their migra- 

 tion, and live with them on the best of terms. Such birds, 

 termed " stragglers," generally prove to be the greatest rarities, 

 for it must be by the mei'e^t accident that one solitary' bird 

 manages to get separated from its ki:;d and travel perhaps thou- 

 sands of miles to a country perfectly foreign to its accustomed 

 habitat. 



Of the rarer birds of Nova Scotia, which up to the present 

 time have come under ni}- observation, I ma}^ mention the fol- 

 lowing : — \ 



Great American White Egret, {Ardea alba.) — Of this 

 magnificent bird I only know of one speciaien having been ob- 



* Msiny birds on landing in the Bermudas arc so weak tha\ a person maj' take tlicm 

 •with the hand. 



