64 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



May 1st, 1848. — Mr. Wedderburn reports that on return- 

 ing from the North Rock on the 29th ultimo he observed 

 four Terns (probably the Roseate). These are the first that 

 have been noticed this season. 



May 2nd, 1848. — Up to this date not a single spring 

 visitant has been observed in this neighbourhood save the 

 Tern, the Tropic Bird, and the two Phalaropes of March 

 last! Why do not the autumnal migrants, or a portion of 

 them, return to the northern latitudes over sea, favouring 

 us with a visit en route ? We see many strangers in Sep- 

 tember and October, bent on their southern trip, but scarcely 

 a Snipe, a Sandpiper, or a Plover deigns to look at Bermuda 

 at this season of the year. 



June 4t/t, 1848. — Mr. Wedderburn (who has just returned 

 from three months' duty at Ireland Island) informs me that 

 as he returned home in his boat last evening a large bird 

 was observed sitting on the stump of a tree near Pitt's Bay, 

 that he landed, and approached within twenty yards of it, 

 fired one barrel, which, owing to an intervening tree, hit 

 slightly. The other barrel, unfortunately, missed fire. The 

 bird was a magnificent Osprey. 



A few specimens of the Roseate Tern have been shot 

 during the past month. 



June $th, 1848. — My neighbour, Mr. Wedderburn, returned 

 from a ramble to-day with some Tropic Birds' eggs ; also an 

 old bird of that species, with its young one. The latter is 

 entirely covered with long white down, excepting the space 

 between the bill and the eyes, which was bare. All the 

 eggs had young birds in them. 



