NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. I3I 



Received a specimen of the Golden Plover, shot by Mr. 

 Hinson. It being one of the larger kind, I took its dimen- 

 sions : — Length, eleven inches ; length of bill, from gape, 

 one and two-tenth inches ; carpal joint, seven and three- 

 tenths inches ; extent, twenty-two inches ; bill, upper sur- 

 face, one inch ; legs, sooty black ; bill, ditto ; upper 

 plumage spotted with yellow and white ; under side, 

 greyish white, without any mixture of black ; quill shafts 

 marked with white, in the manner described by Wilson, 

 and which appears to be common also to the Ckaradrius 

 helveticus. 



October iSt/i. — At this season of the year the Common 

 Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) is often found in marsh 

 ponds, where, for months previous, it has been unknown. 

 This autumnal appearance must either arise from the 

 scattering of native broods, or from an influx of migrant 

 strangers from the American coast. I am inclined to 

 consider the latter as the most likely cause ; which will 

 account for this bird being more common in some seasons 

 than in others. Originally this Gallinule must have been a 

 migratory bird, and what reason have we to suppose that 

 its habits have changed in this respect ? 



October 20th. — Hunted the Governor's and Facey's 

 Marshes ; found four Snipes only, of which I brought home 

 one couple. These were in very plump condition. Those 

 which visited us on the 13th instant were not so fat as we 

 generally see them ; probably they had lost weight by 

 remaining on the American coast until driven off by severe 

 weather. 



The Carolina Crake is every day becoming less common, 

 also the Pectoral and Solitary Sandpipers. 



