1 68 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



Blue-bird. Kingfishers and other small birds were almost 

 always decapitated before being plucked of their feathers, 

 and rats skinned in a very expert and perfect manner, 

 the entire skin being left in the cage, inside out. Such 

 were the habits of this fine Falcon, whose recovery and 

 escape gave me real pleasure, and though Nature has 

 endowed him with a ferocious disposition towards the 

 feathered race and smaller animals, his courage and noble 

 bearing entitle him to admiration and respect, and I wish 

 him well wherever he may think proper to rove. 



April 2nd. — Went out with Mr. Wedderburn and hunted 

 the Governor's Marsh and part of Mr. Wood's property. 

 One specimen of the Tyrant Flycatcher — Muscicapa 

 tyrannus — a very fine bird, and three Yellow-bellied Wood- 

 peckers were killed by Mr. Wedderburn and all within the 

 area of a square mile. These Woodpeckers {Picus varius) 

 were all of them deep crimson on the crown of the head, 

 but minus the crimson on the throat, and proved to be 

 females. No other birds were met with. Can a stronger 

 proof be wanted to prove the Picus varius to be a migrant 

 recently arrived on its vernal flight towards the north ? 



It is exceedingly rare in Bermuda, but has recently 

 appeared at St. George's and this neighbourhood, and no 

 doubt at Ireland Island and elsewhere. 



One Carolina Crake was shot by Mr. Wedderburn in the 

 morning. 



April 4tk. — Examined a fine specimen of the Yellow- 

 crowned Night Heron {Ardea violacea of Audubon), shot 

 yesterday in the neighbourhood of the Chief Justice's pond 

 by Mr. Conyers, the clerk of Paget's Church. It measured 

 twenty-three inches in length, and was in spring plumage, 



