NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 221 



liberty with the tame ducks about the house, has been 

 missing from the 4th of May last, and I much fear has 

 been stolen from the adjoining marsh. I was much 

 interested in the possession of this Duck, watching its 

 habits and periodical change of plumage closely, with the 

 view of ascertaining its species. This, however, I have not 

 been able to establish with any degree of satisfaction to 

 myself, owing to the very slight and imperfect manner 

 in which ornithological works, in general, describe the 

 female of any particular species. Whether my last 

 specimen was the female Red-Head or not, I will not 

 undertake to say, but I have always been inclined to that 

 opinion. Previous to its sudden disappearance, this Duck 

 was still laying, and some idea may be formed of her 

 laying qualities, when I mention that on the 20th of 

 February last she had already produced a dozen eggs. 

 They were all of the same size and colour as those of last 

 year; and like them, produced nothing when placed under 

 a sitting hen or duck. 



July 2%th. — A stormy, dark day, heavy clouds passing 

 rapidly from the south-west, with squalls of wind, lightning 

 and thunder. The total eclipse of the sun, announced in 

 the Bermuda almanac, failed in making its appearance 

 to-day, although at ten and half-past ten the sun was 

 distinctly visible. Heard from two different sources, that 

 the Yellow-Shanks Tattler had been seen and heard last 

 evening — viz., at Darrell's Pond, and at the Dockyard. 



August 12th. — Mr. Arthur Downes informs me that he 

 observed five Swallows on the wing near his residence this 

 morning, and that they appeared to resemble the common 

 Swallow of England. 



