PREFACE. 



IN giving these Notes to the public, I think it right 

 to state that some of them have already appeared in a 

 little work, entitled, "The Naturalist in Bermuda," by 

 the late John Mathew Jones, published in 1859 ; Mr. 

 Jones having first visited Bermuda in 1854. 



Although my father landed in the Bermudas in October, 

 1840, it was not until September, 1846, that he really 

 commenced his Notes on the natural history of the islands; 

 the responsibilities of his office being very onerous during 

 those first six years, he was then prevented. But in 1846, 

 circumstances having changed, he was more at liberty to 

 follow his own inclinations than hitherto. 



The late Mr. Hunt Marriott, then an officer in the same 

 department, being, like my father, imbued with a taste for 

 natural science, observing that he thought it was a pity 

 so little was known of the natural history of the islands, 

 my father proposed an effort should be made to work it 

 out; whereupon Mr. Marriott at once offered his assistance, 

 saying he would do his best in collecting and describing 

 the various forms of insect life, if my father would take 

 the birds ; and so far as my father individually was con- 

 concerned, he continued it up to the period of his departure 

 from Bermuda, in May, 1855. 



The Notes now date back many years ; but I can only 

 hope that, like old wine, they may not prove to the natur- 



