104 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



April igtk. — Examined a very beautiful male specimen 

 of the Tyrant Fly-Catcher {Muscicapa tyrannus), shot this 

 morning by Mr. Marriott near his own residence. It was 

 in very perfect plumage, and measured eight and a half 

 inches in length. With the exception of one killed in 

 March, 1847, this is a solitary instance of its visiting the 

 Bermudas. 



Mr. Orde, 42nd Regiment, informs me that he killed a 

 Spotted Sandpiper ( Totanus macularius) in spring plumage 

 on the 14th instant. He considers it a vernal visitant. 



Mr. Orde also tells me that he has lately visited the 

 south shore, near Gibbs Hill, that the Tropic Bird is com- 

 mon there, but keeps so much over the water, that of four 

 specimens killed by him all fell into the sea, only one of 

 which was recovered by him. He says they have not yet 

 commenced laying. 



April 21st. — Received a very fine specimen of the Green 

 Heron (Ardea virescens), shot this morning by Mr. Hodg- 

 son Smith at Riddles Bay. 



It was carefully measured without stretching, and gave 

 the following dimensions : length, nineteen inches ; extent, 

 twenty-seven inches. This is somewhat above the ordi- 

 nary size of this bird. 



Irides, gold colour ; nostrils, linear and pervious. Upon 

 the inner margin or angle of the lower mandible, a bright 

 spot or streak of bright carmine. Legs, deep yellow or 

 orange, with a shade of russet-brown along the fore part of 

 the tarsi and toes ; tail, entirely dark green ; dorsal plumes 

 extending to within one and a half inches of the extremity 

 of the tail. I consider this to be a male bird in the 

 plumage of this season of the year. 



