Sydney Porter—Bermudan Notes



221



I think many people in England make a great mistake in keeping it

solely on dry seed instead of treating it more like an insectivorous bird.


The first endemic land bird which came under my notice was the

North American Catbird ( Dumetella carolinensis), which was observed

in the small cedar trees on some of the tiny islands in the Great Sound,

as we crossed from the naval dockyard on Ireland Island to Hamilton.


In flight and general demeanour this bird resembles, from a distance,

a small Blackbird, except that it is far more arboreal than that bird.

It is only on close aquaintanceship with the bird that one sees the true

colours, which are a dark smoky grey with a black cap and bright

chestnut under-tail coverts which seem always to be conspicuously

displayed.


The Catbird, though quite common, does not appear as common as

the Cardinal though, of course, it does not catch the eye like the flaming

garb of the other bird. This bird has a fine loud song which may

usually be heard in the evenings. It has been separated from the

American species, from which, if it does differ, it appears to be slightly

darker.


Another indigenous bird is the little Bermuda White-eyed Vireo

(Vireo griseus bermudianus) , a local representative of a well-known

family of North American birds. This delightful little warbler-like

bird resembles very much both in appearance and in colouring and

size a Zosterops. It has the same restless demeanour in its ceaseless

search for the minute insects upon which it feeds. During the short

time I was in Bermuda in June of this year I saw many birds feeding

their young ones, so the breeding season in these islands must corre¬

spond with that at home. This charming little bird is very common

and is found in all the gardens and plantations on the islands where

there is thick vegetation.


Another very distinctive member of the avifauna is the tiny

Bermuda Ground Dove ( Columbigallina passerina bermudiana). As

one drives along the dusty roads in the comfortable horse-drawn

“ Victorias ”, for no motors are allowed to disturb the peace of these

islands, one continually surprises pairs of these diminutive doves.

They are usually searching for tiny seeds on the bare ground, but as

soon as they see the approach of a stranger they break into a quick



