PRELIMINARY REMARKS 



ON THE PECULIAR AND HIGHLY INTERESTING CHARACTER 

 OF THE 



ORNITHOLOGY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



The wonderful formation of this group of islands in the 

 waters of the Atlantic, the distance which separates it 

 from the shores of North America and the West Indies, 

 and the existence, in so remote a spot, of various forms of 

 animal life— ferce natures — are alone sufficient to excite' 

 astonishment in the mind of an observant naturalist ; but, 

 when he finds that ocean speck to be visited by birds of 

 many genera, and oftentimes with unerring regularity of 

 season ; that others, in their periodical migrations from one 

 region of the earth to another, pass over this miniature 

 abode — sometimes in vast numbers — without heeding it ; 

 and others, again, appear to be driven there under acci- 

 dental circumstances, his mind becomes aroused to the 

 study of these phenomena, in order to understand clearly 

 these mysteries of nature. 



On looking round it will be found that seven species of 

 birds 1 are resident throughout the year ; these we shall term 

 native birds. They consist of the Blue-bird, Cat-bird, 



1 Since increased to nine, by the introduction of the Virginian Quail 

 and the domestic Sparrow of Europe. 



