74 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



August 2$tk, 1848. — Mr. Fozard tells me he was fishing 

 off the north shore (near Government House), last evening 

 and while so occupied with his neighbour, Captain Wain- 

 wright, he observed a very large flock of Golden Plover, 

 *' come in " from the north-west. He describes this flock 

 as consisting of a cluster of birds in front, from which 

 extended three long lines, at least a hundred yards in 

 length, all trailing from the cluster, in the shape of a broad 

 arrow, and resembling in their appearance three tails of a 

 paper kite. He is sure he speaks within bounds when he 

 says they numbered five hundred birds. They continued 

 their course at a moderate pace and elevation, and dis- 

 appeared over the neighbouring hills. Their piping could 

 be heard at a great distance. 



Coming home after dark the same parties heard another 

 flock of birds of similar note wending their way to the 

 southward by the light of the stars only. The morning 

 previous to this event I was informed that a .very large flock 

 of Plover had come in from the north about daylight ; they 

 continued their course without stopping. They were seen 

 by the cottagers east of Mount Langton. Weather calm 

 and fair. 



August 2Stk, 1848. — Heavy rain having fallen for some 

 hours this morning, and the evening being dark and lower- 

 ing, I took my gun, determined to ascertain if any Golden 

 Plover had alighted upon our hills. Ranged the north 

 shore from the wells to the Admiral's, crossed over to the 

 sluice-gates, and home by the Church. Saw nothing but 

 two Spotted Sandpipers, which I killed. One of these 

 happening to fall in the sea, I had an opportunity — as it 

 was only winged — of seeing it swim and dive, which it con- 

 tinued to do for some time, and often descended to the 

 bottom of the clear water, which was full four feet in depth. 



