164 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



Mr. Wedderburn shot a common Gallinule or Moor 

 Hen {Gallinula chloropus) on the 19th, which measured 

 thirteeen inches in length, and subsequently proved to be 

 a female specimen. It was compared in the presence of 

 Captain Drummond and myself, with a British Gallinule, 

 killed in Scotland, about twelve months ago, by Mr. 

 Wedderburn, and which measured fourteen inches long, 

 being a male bird. No difference whatever (except in 

 size) could be discovered in these two specimens. The 

 male Gallinule of these islands will occasionally exceed 

 fourteen inches in length, and in other respects is precisely 

 similar to the British specimen above mentioned. In a 

 British female specimen, shot by Mr. Wedderburn, at the 

 same period, the white on the outer margin of the first 

 primary is wanting, and the plumage is of a somewhat 

 darker hue than the male bird's. This female is also 

 considerably less than the male Gallinule. The difference 

 of colour probably arises from age. I do not think there 

 is ground for supposing that two distinct species of this 

 Gallinule exist in Great Britain, and therefore I have no 

 hesitation in stating, that, in my humble opinion, the 

 Gallinule of Bermuda is identical with the common Moor 

 Hen {Gallinula chloropus) of the British Islands. 



Mr. W. Joel, who resides on the margin of the Devonshire 

 Marsh or Cedar Swamp, informs me that several " yellow 

 birds," so termed in the United States, recently visited that 

 neighbourhood. He described them as small birds of a 

 bright yellow colour with black wings. These were prob- 

 ably the American Goldfinch {Carduelis tristis of Audu- 

 bon). 



March 23rd. — Mr. Wedderburn, who returned from St. 

 George's this afternoon, tells me he was out yesterday with 



