214 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



May 2nd. — Received another specimen of the Green 

 Heron this morning from Mr. James Hall. It was killed 

 at the head of Hamilton Water. 



May ird. — The grandson of my neighbour, Mr. White, 

 a boy of about thirteen, tells me that while amusing him- 

 self near his grandfather's residence this morning, he saw 

 "a very beautiful cock red bird, brighter in colour than our 

 birds, and with black wings." After pointing it out to some 

 young friends who were present, the bird took wing, and 

 flew up into some tall cedars near my entrance gate. This 

 was no doubt the scarlet Tanager, but as the information 

 did not reach me until after sunset I was unable to take 

 advantage of it. 



In reading a very pleasing little work on " Game Birds 

 and Wild Fowl " by Knox, I came across the following — 

 speaking of the mode in which the Peregrine Falcon strikes 

 its quarry — Knox inclines to the opinion that " it is by 

 means of the powerful hind talon that the deadly wound 

 is inflicted," and remarks " that if a Grouse, a Duck, or a 

 Woodcock, which have been thus suddenly killed by a 

 Peregrine Falcon be examined, it will generally be found 

 that the loins and shoulders are deeply scarred ; the back of 

 the neck much torn, and even the skull sometimes pene- 

 trated by this formidable weapon." He further observes 

 that " as the stroke is almost always delivered obliquely, 

 that is in a slanting, downward direction from behind, this 

 laceration could not be effected by any of the talons of the 

 front toes ; nor would the severest possible blow from the 

 breast of the Falcon produce such an effect." He then 

 instances a Woodcock which was struck down by a 

 Peregrine within a few yards of Colonel Bonham, ioth 



