NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 25 



glean of this bird, I should not be surprised to find it 

 belongs to the Shearwater family (Puffinus oltscurus). It 

 breeds in holes among the rocks, never appears except at 

 night, and is said to utter a sound similar to its local 

 name of "Ca-how." We met a boy who said he had 

 recently caught two of them on Cooper's Island, and 

 engaged him to obtain a few specimens if possible, pro- 

 mising a dollar for the first. This boy described the bird 

 as being about the size of a Duck. 



We were desirous of visiting the " Black Rock," which 

 stands alone, outside the entrance to Castle Harbour, and 

 which is said to be frequented by a bird termed by the 

 natives, " The Redshanks." This we were prevented from 

 putting into execution by the strong wind and consequent 

 rough sea. I have reason to believe that the so-called 

 Redshank is one of the family of Terns, probably the 

 Roseate, and that it breeds about Castle Harbour. 



While dining amid the remains of the Castle, on Castle. 

 Island, one of these Terns was fired at, but without suc- 

 cess. 



June lotk> 1847. — Met Lieutenant Wedderburn, 42nd 

 Highlanders, and was happy to hear him say that he had 

 killed three Terns ; two, apparently, young birds, and the 

 other an adult. The latter was of a beautiful roseate tinge 

 on the lower parts, and proves to be a genuine Roseate 

 Tern {Sterna dougallii) — thus making good my suspicions 

 respecting the existence of this bird in Bermuda. 



July 23rd, 1847. — Saw a specimen of the Totanus macu- 

 larius or Spotted Sandpiper. It was evidently a young 

 bird, the pure white of the under parts being free from 

 spots. In other respects it agreed perfectly with Wilson's 



