NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. I07 



it from tree to tree without getting a shot. Mr. T. Darrell, 

 who lives close by, tells me it is there every day feeding 

 opposite his windows. Mrs. Darrell also informs me that 

 a white or dove-coloured bird had been wading in the same 

 place for some hours in the early part of the morning. She 

 described it as being too large for a Heron — saw it settle 

 on a tree — thinks it must be a " Crane " of some kind. 

 The Common Blue Heron (Ardea kerodias) is invariably 

 termed a " Crane " in the Bermudas. 



April 2%th. — Lieutenant McLeod, 42nd Highlanders, 

 killed a Spotted Sandpiper ( Totanus macularius) to-day in 

 full plumage. Saw two Night Hawks, and shot one of 

 them. 



May yth, 1849. — Met Mr. Hodgson Smith, and had a 

 conversation with him concerning the " dark blue " bird. 

 He tells me he discovered it sitting on the margin of the 

 same small pond where I disturbed it on April 26th ; that 

 it was about the size of the American Bittern, and like the 

 Heron species in shape. It was very tame, and allowed 

 him to approach within short gun shot, and make several 

 attempts to let off his gun, but the nipple having unfortu- 

 nately broken with the first of these attempts, the bird 

 ultimately took wing, and disappeared in the direction of 

 Warwick Church Pond. Mr. Hodgson Smith also tells 

 me that the Green Heron is common in his neighbourhood 

 just now, and that he has ceased shooting them, under the 

 impression that we had specimens enough. 



May ntk. — Sailed to Gibbs Hill with Lieutenants 

 Orde and McLeod of the 42nd. Crossed over to the south 

 shore to seek Tropic Birds and their eggs. Were not an 



