NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 1"J 



January nth. — Examined two specimens of the Kildeer 

 Plover, Charadrius vociferus, of Wilson and Audubon. 

 These birds agreed perfectly with Wilson's description, 

 excepting the length of the two centre tail feathers, which 

 exceeded the others by quarter of an inch only. The 

 length of the bird was, notwithstanding, the same as men- 

 tioned by Wilson : — Length ten and a quarter inches, by 

 twenty and a half breadth. 



January nth, 1847. — Examined a specimen of the 

 Muscicapa dotninicensis, or White-eyed Flycatcher of Wilson. 

 This little bird is very common in the Bermudas, where it 

 is known by the familiar appellation of " Chick of the 

 Village." It remains all the year round, builds its nest 

 suspended to the fork of some bough, and lays four or five 

 white eggs, spotted with brown at the larger end. 



The Columba passerina, or Ground Dove, of Wilson. This 

 beautiful little bird — the smallest of the Pigeon tribe — is 

 common in the Bermudas, where it has thoroughly estab- 

 lished itself as a native bird. It is generally seen feeding 

 in flocks of five or six together, in the highways and en- 

 closures. Its nest is a mere platform of twigs, and is 

 generally placed on the lower branch of a cedar tree. It 

 lays two white eggs, and, if disturbed, will attempt to lead 

 the intruder from its nest by fluttering along the ground. 



American Snipe, Scolopax wilsonii. Visits the Bermudas 

 in the month of October, and continues to be met with until 

 the early part of January, when it disappears. In the 

 winter of 1846 and 1847, as many as a hundred couple of 

 these birds were killed by the officers of the 20th Regiment, 

 stationed at Hamilton. Our limited knowledge of the 



