NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 99 



January i8lk. — Several Snow Buntings (Plectrophanes 

 nivalis) have recently been observed in the open part of 

 the dockyard at Ireland Island by persons whose testimony 

 can be relied on. Others are reported to me as having" 

 been met with on the hills of the north shore near the new 

 lunatic asylum, and I learn from the Rev. H. B. Tristram 

 that four or five very fine specimens of this bird were killed 

 at St. George's by Captain Drummond, of the 42nd, on the 

 1 2th inst The weather for some days previous had been 

 boisterous and cold, with wind at north-west. 



January 20th. — Mr. Wedderburn called on me this 

 morning with the set-up specimens of his Acadian Owl 

 (caught on the 12th inst.) and a very fine Snow Bunting 

 (Plectrophanes nivalis), the latter shot yesterday on the 

 glacis at Ireland Island from a small flock of four or five. 



January 2Qth. — A few days ago it was reported to me 

 that a solitary " Gull," of a brownish colour, had been noticed 

 for some time to haunt the north shore near the admiral's 

 residence. To-day Mr. Wedderburn called to tell me that 

 on the 27th he killed a young specimen of Bonaparte's Gull 

 {Larus bonapartii), being a further addition to the list of 

 Bermuda birds. 



February 3rd, 1849. — Heard this morning that a young 

 man named Walker, who resides near the Sluice Gate Ponds, 

 saw on Sunday last a " White Crane " in that neighbour- 

 hood. It being Sunday, he did not attempt to shoot it, but 

 a younger brother of his went down and disturbed the bird 

 several times. It is described as being considerably larger 

 than the Common Blue Heron, and " as white as cotton." 

 On seeking for it on the following morning Walker saw 

 nothing of it. 



