Natural history of the Bermudas. 85 



vessel on the night of the above-mentioned day, and that 

 he does not think there was anything easterly in the flight 

 of these birds. He expected to hear Bermuda had been 

 teeming with them. 



October 2.0th, 1848.— Learn from Mr. Hodgson Smith that 

 he yesterday shot two " Wild Geese," in Riddles Bay. Was 

 shocked to find these birds were cooked and eaten up al- 

 most as soon as killed ! Endeavoured to obtain some clue 

 by which to ascertain the species, but to no purpose, Mr. 

 Smith's description being, as usual in Bermuda, vague to a 

 degree. Made interest for a few feathers, a head, foot, or 

 any other remnant, and was promised a wing. 



These " Geese " are described as " evidently young birds," 

 male and female. Mr. Smith was educated in Nova Scotia 

 and is well acquainted with the Canadian and Brent Geese, 

 neither of which, he assures me, will answer to the descrip- 

 tion of the Riddles Bay specimens. 



October 2\st, 1848. — Met Mr. Wedderburn returning with 

 his gun ; he had seen nothing during the day but one Rice- 

 bird, which he killed. 



October 25/A, 1848. — The Rev. M. S. K. Frith sent me 

 a specimen of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo to-day. It was 

 dead, and from the soiled appearance of its plumage, ap- 

 peared to have been kept in the cage for some days. 



Heard this morning that a strange bird had been taken 

 from a cat, at Salt Kettle, and was to be seen alive at a 

 certain store there, moreover that the said bird was a 

 " Crossbill." Crossed over in the ferry-boat expressly to 

 ascertain the fact, and was shown the head of the bird. It 



