NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 23 



which Mr. Marriott shot ; it was six and a quarter inches 

 in length, and proved to be the Hirundo rustica, or Barn 

 Swallow of Audubon, the first of the kind I have met with 

 in these islands. 



The object of our visit being to shoot a few specimens 

 of the Phaeton csthereus, or Tropic Bird, we ranged the 

 rocky shore for some time, but saw not a single sea-bird 

 of any kind. With the assistance, however, of a native 

 residing near at hand, a search was commenced into holes 

 and crevices among the rugged rocks which border the 

 ocean, when four Tropic Birds were captured sitting on 

 their nests, or breeding-places. These, with three eggs, 

 were brought home. Three other nests were discovered, 

 none of which were accessible, or rather within reach of 

 a man's arm. I was surprised to find one egg only in 

 each nest. One of these birds measured thirty-three 

 inches in length, and possessed two elongated feathers 

 in the tail. The others measured twenty-eight, twenty- 

 six, and thirty-one inches, and had one tail-feather want- 

 ing in each. Tarsi and hind toe white, tinged with blue 

 or lead colour. The first of these specimens was not 

 tinged with carmine on the upper parts, the third was 

 particularly so. 



May 14th. — In consequence of my having offered a 1 

 shilling each for a few Tropic Birds in good plumage, I 

 was this morning informed that the men stationed at 

 Gibbs' Hill Telegraph had been out, and taken a number 

 which they wished me to select from. On my arrival at 

 the station I found upwards of forty live birds shut up in 

 a small room. Selected fourteen or fifteen specimens with 

 double plumes in their tails, and purchased sixteen eggs, 

 which had been taken at the same time. Had the satisfac- 

 tion of seeing the remainder of these unfortunate captives 



