NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. l$J 



the bird, which proved to be a fine specimen of the Shore 

 Lark (A/auda alpestris) of Audubon, being the third of its 

 kind observed in the Bermudas. 



Examined a Gull shot by Mr. Orde at Spanish Point. 

 Length, twenty-two inches ; extent, forty-nine. Bill, pale 

 flesh colour, with the exterior third black. Irides, pale 

 yellow. Head, white. Back and wings, pearl grey, more or 

 less mottled with brown. Primaries of a dark brown 

 colour, the inner ones tipped with white. Tail of twelve 

 feathers of the same brown shade as the primaries — the 

 outer feathers being mottled with white. Legs, pale flesh 

 colour. Under parts, mottled with very light brown. This 

 is unquestionably the young of Larus argentatus, the 

 Herring or Silvery Gull of Audubon. 



March \st. — Observed a very small Hawk pass over .the 

 outskirts of the town this morning. It appeared to be con- 

 siderably less than the Pigeon Hawk, and was probably 

 Falco sparverius of Audubon. 



March \th. — Mr. Marriott yesterday walked to Port 

 Royal Church, on the south shore near the light-house, and 

 during service was surprised to see a Tropic Bird pass by. 

 Seven others were subsequently seen in the same locality, 

 and all, as Mr. Marriott observes, with the long taper tail 

 feathers very conspicuous. This is earlier by ten or twelve 

 days than the general appearance of these birds. 



March $th. — The "Salt-Kettle" Duck, mentioned on the 

 20th of December last, has associated from the commence- 

 ment of the year with a Drake and two Ducks of the 

 common domestic kind, kept with the other poultry in a 

 yard at the back of my house. It has apparently recovered 



