288 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



August 26th. — The flight of Plover (Charadrius marmo- 

 ratus) which passed over these Islands on the night of the 

 23rd instant, was heard at the same hour at Gibb's Hill, 

 Warwick Parish, Hamilton, Prospect Hill, and the Flatts. 

 One of my informants, who was on Prospect Hill, describes 

 the numbers as immense, and flying very low. The 

 passage of these birds occupied about one hour, and their 

 course was southerly, probably south-east. Only two 

 stragglers have been noticed on our shores. 



Not a swallow is to be seen either in this neighbour- 

 hood or elsewhere that 1 "can hear of. They have 

 doubtless proceeded on thqir southern flight. Nothing 

 can well exceed the heat of Bermuda at this season of the 

 year. 



Captain Rassett, 56th Regiment, tells me he was out 

 with Colonel Oakley at an early hour this morning at 

 Gibb's Hill, and returned home with one " Golden Plover," 

 the first of the season. Two others were in company but 

 •escaped. 



August 10th. — The swallows which visited us on or about 

 the 1 6th instant remained for a few days only. Not a 

 single straggler has been seen since the 24th. 



September 1st. — Colonel Oakley and Captain Bassett, of 

 the 56th Regiment, who have been residing for the last 

 fortnight at Gibb's Hill, tell me that in that neighbourhood 

 a day or two ago, they counted no less than eleven Crows 

 in sight at the same time, ten of which were perched upon 

 the cedar trees. This is double the number hitherto 

 observed, arising, doubtless, from the young of the present 

 year. 



