NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 165 



Captain Drummond, and vainly attempted to shoot the 

 " Wheatear " that for some time past has frequented the 

 vicinity of the naval tanks. Mr. Wedderburn says there is 

 no mistaking the bird, which is a female, and from being 

 shot at has become very shy and wary. That he went but 

 at daylight this morning to look for it again, but failed in 

 meeting with it. Captain Drummond states that flocks of 

 Linaria minor, the Lesser Red-poll of Audubon, have 

 recently been seen in the neighbourhood of St. George's, 

 and Mr. Wedderburn saw four specimens of the same 

 laying upon Captain Drummond's table yesterday. Why 

 are these birds now met with only at the eastern extremity 

 of these islands ? 



March 2^th. — Heard from Captain Drummond that he 

 had shot a Yellow-bellied Woodpecker (Picus varius of 

 Audubon). At St. George's this morning, a second Wood- 

 pecker of the same species was observed at the same time. 



March 27th. — Mr. Wedderburn visited Devonshire Marsh 

 to-day, and found one Snipe only, which was killed on the 

 spot where the three were seen on the 21st instant. This 

 Snipe had fifteen feathers in its tail. He also shot a fine 

 plumaged male Carolina Crake. 



March "$oth. — Mr. Wedderburn shot a Flycatcher this 

 morning from the top of one of the cedars which border 

 my garden. It proves to be of a species entirely new to us, 

 and is described by Audubon as Muscicapa dominicensis or 

 Pipiry Flycatcher. Length, eight and eight-tenths inches. 

 Bill, very broad. Under wing coverts, pale yellow. Pri- 

 maries attenuated in the manner described by Audubon. 

 The arrival of this bird may be taken as an indication of 



