8 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



A specimen of the Harrier {Circus cyaneus) killed last 

 year by Lieutenant Pooley, 20th Regiment, was found to 

 have earthworms in its crop ! Did necessity compel this 

 bird of prey to adapt this mode of subsistence ? 



October 13th, 1846. — Saw a beautiful specimen of the 

 Falco columbarius, or Pigeon Hawk, killed by Lieutenant 

 Wood, 20th Regiment, arid a specimen of the Falco pere- 

 grinus, or Great-footed Hawk, of Wilson, shot by Dr. Cole. 

 As the span of this bird's foot did not exceed four and one- 

 tenth inches, I consider it to be a male specimen. 



Same day. — Examined a beautiful specimen of the Ardea 

 virescons, or Green Heron, killed by Lieutenant Abbot, 20th 

 Regiment. The tail of this bird was not tipped with white, 

 in other respects the specimen agreed with Wilson's 

 description. 



October 30th, 1846. — Saw to-day a specimen of the 

 Sylvicola coronata, or Yellow-crowned Wood Warbler. This 

 little bird was shot by Dr. Cole, and was in its autumnal or 

 winter plumage. 



October 31st, 1846. — Examined a specimen of the Great 

 American Shrike {Lanius borealis), shot in the marsh below 

 Government House, by Dr. Cole. This is the first bird of 

 the kind I have seen in the Bermudas. 



Another Water Crake, or English Rail, was shown me 

 by Mr. Abbot to-day. 



During the dark or starlight nights of September and 

 October, flocks of migratory birds are often distinctly 

 heard in the Bermudas, piping or whistling their way to 

 the southward, at a considerable elevation. 



