2l8 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



was a Scarlet Tanager, which had recently arrived here, 

 several of that beautiful species having been observed 

 about the same period. 



May i^rd. — Learn from Mr. Arthur Downes (of the 

 Commissariat Department) that a beautiful bright red 

 bird, with black wings and tail, was noticed some weeks 

 ago to frequent the garden of Mrs. Wainwright's house, 

 " Waterloo," in the vicinity of this town. As it was not 

 disturbed by any person, it remained in the garden for 

 three or four days, when it suddenly disappeared. Here, 

 again, we have doubtless another instance of the Scarlet 

 Tanager visiting these islands. 



May 2>oth. — A coloured boy brought me a very perfect 

 specimen of the Purple Gallinule this evening, which had 

 been shot in the marshes adjoining Hamilton. This is the 

 only instance of the occurrence of this bird [Gallinula 

 martinicd) that has come to my knowledge this year, and 

 as the wind has blown steadily from the eastward for the 

 last ten days or so, I do not think it has just landed on our 

 shores ; probably it has been here for two or three weeks. 



June 2nd. — Mr. Arthur Downes presented me this morn- 

 ing with a living specimen of the Large, or Wandering, 

 Shearwater (Puffinus cinereus of Audubon), which he found 

 during his morning's ride lying on the road which skirts 

 the opposite side of Hamilton Harbour, unable to fly. It 

 appeared to be uninjured, and its plumage was quite 

 perfect. This is the first time this species has come under 

 my notice during a residence of ten years in the islands, 

 and yet I am disposed to think it occasionally breeds about 

 the rocky entrance of Castle Harbour. 



