NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 339 



In the "Visitors' Guide to Bermuda," by J. M. Jones, I 

 find Brackish pond — a grove of cedars, palmettas, and 

 shrubs of various kinds, surrounded externally by a 

 circular bog or morass — is described as the abode of the 

 Tree Rat (Mus tectorum), so well known in the southern 

 states- of America. " Here," the author says, " amongst 

 the close thicket of shrubs, palmettas, giant ferns, and 

 cedar trees of this dense region — the solitude of which is 

 seldom disturbed — may be found high up in the branches 

 of old cedars, and occasionally in the shrubs around, the 

 curiously-constructed nest of the Mus tectorum" — a species 

 unknown to the inhabitants of Bermuda until captured by 

 himself, and identified by Professor Baird and Dr. Covey, 

 of the Smithsonian Institution. 



It is difficult to account for the introduction of this Rat 

 into the Islands of Bermuda. 



WHALES. 



Balcena Atlanticus. — Common on the south shores of Ber- 

 muda from March to July. The beef, or rather veal, of the 

 young Whale is eagerly sought after by many of the in- 

 habitants, and said to be very good eating. Whalebone 

 from this species was displayed amongst the Bermuda pro- 

 ductions at the Great Exhibition of 1862. 



On the 2 1 st of April, 1849, a Whale was towed into 

 Somerset forty-five feet long. It was found dead by the 

 whale boats, and is supposed to have been killed by the 

 Sword Fish ; others say it was stranded on the reefs. 

 There is, however, every reason to believe it was killed by 

 an American whaler, fishing off these islands. 



