2g2 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



October igt/i. — A wet day. Mr. Phillips, 56th Regiment, 

 killed a couple of Snipe in White's Marsh. 



October 20th. — Walked out for an hour with my gun. 

 Killed two Carolina Crakes and seven Pectoral Sand- 

 pipers. Saw three or four Snipe, but failed in bagging 

 any of them. 



October 22nd. — All yesterday and to-day it has blown a 

 gale of wind, veering gradually from north-east to south- 

 east, then to south-west, and moderating at north-west. 

 Heavy rain accompanied this tornado, and flooded the 

 neighbouring marshes. Ducks, Snipe, and Plover reported 

 as having been seen. Went out with Mr. Phillips in the 

 evening, and in the marsh, opposite Facey's cottage, got 

 within a stone's throw of eight Wild Ducks, which seemed 

 indisposed to move, but ultimately took wing. Two others 

 close by we left undisturbed. Was under the impression 

 that they were the Pintail Duck. 



October 23rd. — In the marshes by sunrise.- Found 

 them occupied in all directions by white and coloured 

 "Gunners." Met a coloured man, named Dickenson, with 

 a couple of Ducks, which he had killed. Was surprised 

 to find they were the American Widgeon (Anas americana 

 of Audubon), the first of the species yet observed in these 

 islands. Length of the larger one, twenty inches ; ex- 

 treme breadth, thirty-three inches. Eye, black. Feet, 

 slate colour. Second quill longest. Bill, small and fine ; 

 of a light slate colour, with the nail black. Head and 

 neck beautifully speckled with yellowish-white, and dusky. 

 Each side of the breast, the sides, and thighs, rich chest- 



