NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 147 



December 2\th. — Walked to the Chief Justice's pond and 

 again found the Cedar Waxwings. Shot one of them and 

 lost it among the thick rushes. Hunted the cedar groves 

 of Tankfield, and ranged along the south shore for some 

 distance, but saw nothing. Blue-birds less numerous than 

 usual. 



1850. 



January 2nd. — Visited the Governor's Marsh, and walked 

 from thence to the sluice gates. Saw nothing but one 

 solitary Kingfisher. On my return, passing the workshop 

 of Watkins, the painter (which commands a view of the 

 marsh, commonly called White's), I was informed by him 

 that about six weeks since he observed a very beautiful 

 bird pass over to the opposite side of the marsh, the 

 plumage of which was of a splendid dark blue, or purple 

 (or like a particular paint which he showed me in a 

 powdered state); was quite certain it was not the Great 

 Blue Heron, which was familiar to him, and far too large 

 for the bird in question. I have reason to believe from 

 Watkins' description of the colour and size, that he must 

 have either seen the Ardea ccerulea, in adult plumage, or 

 the Glossy Ibis {Ibis falcinellus). 



January I2tk. — Mr. Marriott sent me a specimen of the 

 Pigeon Hawk {Falco columbarius of Audubon), shot this 

 morning by Mr. F. Trimingham. Length, eleven inches. 

 Extent, twenty-three inches. Bill short, strongly toothed, 

 of a light blue, tipped with black. Skin surrounding the 

 eye, extending downwards to the base of the skull, light 

 brown. Irides, indistinct, but apparently dark. Legs, 

 yellow. Claws, black and very sharp. Second quill 



