NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 75 



In rising from one of these descents, near a rock, I con- 

 trived to capture it. On my return home I met Dr. Muir, of 

 the 42nd Highlanders, who told me that as he was passing 

 Sir William Burnaby's, about five o'clock this evening, 

 he saw two coloured men standing in the road staring at 

 the heavens. On asking what they were looking at, they 

 pointed out a large flock of Plover flying to the southward. 

 The doctor described them as very numerous, and said the 

 two men estimated the flock at one thousand birds. 



August list, 1848. — Having casually observed, to-day, 

 that I thought it very strange that the Grey Plover of 

 North America should never be met with in these islands, 

 I was told by Mr. Fozard that he had on more than one 

 occasion killed it here. He described the bird as being of 

 a grey colour and a size less than the Golden Plover. 



September ist, 1848. — Heard that a man belonging to 

 the bakery had killed some Grey Plover on the 30th ult. 

 Went there and saw the man, who described the Plover as 

 speckled — with large eyes and black legs. Said they were 

 killed on Minton's ploughed land on the North Hills ; in 

 all, four birds. 



From all I could learn I have no doubt these birds were 

 the Golden Plover of this part of the world. 



September 2nd, 1848. — Mr. Wedderburn writes me word 

 that he shot a Carolina Crake (Ortygometra carolinus), at 

 Mangrove Creek on the ist instant, being two days earlier 

 than the first bird of last year. 



