40 THE NATUEALIST IN BERMUDA. 



mentioned are, I think, the most beautiful specimens I 

 collected in the Bermudas. 



Ameeican Bittern (A. lentiginosa). To be met with ia 

 all the marshes, from October till December, and occasion- 

 ally in March. I killed six specimens, in Pembroke Marsh, 

 in October, 1847. During some seasons, they are rare. 



The Least Bittern {A. exilis). I shot a beautiful speci- 

 men of this bird, on the 23rd October, 1847, in Pembroke 

 Marsh. A short time afterwards, I killed another at the 

 Sluice Ponds, but, unfortunately, lost it amongst the thick 

 roots of the mangrove trees. I saw two near Boss's Cove, 

 on the 15th of December, 1849 ; and, again, another, near 

 the same place, on the I7th of the month, but did not 

 succeed in getting any of these. On the' 15th of March, 

 1850, I killed one near Boss's Cove. With the exception of 

 this last bird, I could never get them to take wing ; they 

 always ran about amongst the roots of the mangroves, 

 where it was most difficult to find them when once lost 

 sight o£ Another example was killed by an officer of the 

 56th Eegiment, in the autumn of 1852. 



Americas Night Heron, or Qua Bird {A. nydicorax). 

 This species is not uncommon from the latter part of Sep- 

 tember, and during the winter till March. I found them 

 generally at the Sluice Ponds, Hungry Bay, and amongst 

 the mangrove trees around the ponds, near Harrington 

 Sound. None have as yet been killed in adult plumage. : 



Yellow-crowned Night Heron {A. violacea). Two 

 specimens of this bird were kiLLed, one, in April, 1848 ; the 

 other, in September, 1849. Mr. Hurdis gave me a very- 

 fine specimen, which was killed on the 3rd of April, 1850, 

 and is now in my possession. 



