300 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



January 17th. — Examined a specimen of Kildeer Plover 

 shot by my young neighbour, Charles Ingham. These 

 birds have appeared during the past month in small flocks 

 along the shores of these islands. 



January 21st. — Visited the "Tamarind Tree" with my 

 children this evening, in the spreading branches of which 

 I observed a Yellow-bellied Woodpecker (Picas varius), 

 and watched its peculiar motions for some time. This bird 

 appeared to disregard our presence, keeping, however, as 

 much as possible on the off-side of the branch for conceal- 

 ment. In the small bay opposite " Honey-moon Cottage " 

 we disturbed four Spotted Sandpipers. 



January 2$tk. — Went into White's Marsh this evening, 

 and flushed a couple of Snipe (Scolopax wilsonii) twice 

 without getting a shot at them. This is very late for these 

 birds to appear. 



January 26th. — Hunted the Pembroke Marshes from end 

 to end. Found three Snipe widely separated from each 

 other, and killed only one, a very fine bird. Saw a Great 

 Blue Heron (Ardea herodias). 



February 1st. — Captain Tolcher, 56th Regiment, sent me 

 a freshly-killed specimen of the Grebe family. It measured 

 fourteen inches in length, and two feet in extent ; the 

 carpal joint upwards of five inches. Irides, blood-red, with 

 a fine circle of bright yellow surrounding the pupil. Legs, 

 apparently issuing from the tail, very flat, dusky black, 

 externally; and light yellowish-green, flesh colour, and 

 grey, on the inner side. Upper part of the head, including 



