CHAP. XII 



BERMUDA 



267 



remote position, a great number of birds visit Bermuda 

 annually, some in large numbers, others only as accidental 

 stragglers. Altogether, over 180 species have been 

 recorded, rather more than half being wading and swim- 

 ming birds, whose presence is not so much to be wondered 

 at as they are great wanderers; while about eighty-five 

 are land birds, many of which would hardly be supposed 

 capable of flying so great a distance. Of the 180 species, 

 however, about thirty have only been seen once, and a 

 great many more are very rare ; but about twenty species 

 of land birds are recorded as tolerably frequent visitors, and 

 nearly half these appear to come every year. 



There are only eleven species which are permanent 

 residents on the island — eight land, and three water birds, 

 and of these one has been almost certainly introduced. 

 These resident birds are as follows : — 



1. Galeoscoptes carolinensis. (The Cat bird. ) Migrates along the east 



coast of the United States. 



2. Sialia sialis. (The Blue bird.) Migrates along the east coast. 



3. Fireo novceboracensis. (The White-eyed green Tit.) Migrates along 



the east coast. 



4. Passer domesticus. (The English Sparrow. ) ? Introduced. 



5. Corvus americanus. (The American Crow.) Common over all 



North America. 



6. Cardinalis virginianus. (The Cardinal bird.) Migrates from 



Carolina southward. 



7. Chamcepelia passcrina. (The ground Dove,) Louisiana, W. Indies, 



and Mexico. 



8. Ortyx virginianus. (The American Quail.) New England to 



Florida. 



9. Ardea herodias. (The Great Blue Heron. ) All North America. 



10. Gallinula galeata. (The Florida Gallinule.) Temperate and 



tropical North America, 



11, Phaeton flavirostris. (The Tropic Bird. ) 



It will be seen that these are all very common 

 North American birds, and most of them are constant 

 visitors from the mainland, so that however long they 

 may have inhabited the islands there has been no chance 

 for them to have acquired any distinctive characters 

 owing to the want of isolation. 



Among the most regular visitants which are not resident, 

 are the common N. American kingfisher (Geryle alcyom). 



