l8o NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



Mr. Wedderburn tells me that an officer on board 

 H.M. Ship " Wellesley " (which arrived here from the 

 West Indies on the 31st of March last) stated that on the 

 passage numbers of Woodpeckers and Swallows came on 

 board that ship ; that the Woodpeckers had all of them 

 " crimson heads," with yellow plumage below, and were so 

 numerous that nearly every man in the ship secured one 

 for himself. I have not ascertained the latitude or 

 longitude in which this interesting reconnoitre took place 

 but will endeavour to do so. This Woodpecker was no 

 doubt Picus varius, a species which, a few days later, was 

 found in unusual numbers in various parts of Bermuda. 



May 20th. — Saw a Night Hawk {Caprimulgus ameri- 

 canus) pass close to the windows of my house at sunset 

 this evening. 



I understand from Mr. Wedderburn that the surgeon of 

 the flag-ship " Wellesley " has recently shot, near the 

 admiral's residence, a Summer Red-bird {Pyranga astivd), 

 in full plumage of the male bird. 



May 22nd. — I hear from Mr. Wedderburn that Captain 

 Drummond and Mr. Orde visited the Gurnet Head, or 

 Black Rock, off Castle Harbour, on the 20th instant. Two 

 young Dusky Shearwaters {Puffinus obscurus) were found 

 in separate holes of the rock, and one egg was obtained 

 (of the same bird), which appeared to be addled. The old 

 birds were not seen. 



May 26th. — It has been stated to me by three or four 

 different individuals that a Wild Swan,' of a grey colour 

 (Cygnus americanus, American Swan of Audubon, in 



