Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 1 (1877).djvu/438

412 the propriety of introducing these quarrelsome birds (for the sake of the war they wage on the insect tribes during the breeding season only) into the aristocratic society of the Blue and Red Birds, which they will infallibly drive in course of time out of the town gardens and enclosures altogether. I observed a single specimen of the European Goldfinch, Carduelis elegans, near Harrington Sound, in April, 1875; it was very wild, and I could not get near it, but I imagine it must have been an escaped prisoner. This species is reported to have occurred in Massachusetts (Allen, Am. Nat. iii. p. 635), but the same explanation doubtless applies.

Passerella iliaca, Fox Sparrow.—Only one yet obtained; shot by Mr. Bartram in a bush near his house a few years since.

Goniaphea ludoviciana, Rose-beaked Grosbeak.—A female bird of this species was shot by Colonel Drumniond on the 9th October, 1849, near St. George's, and a fine male by Mr. Hurdis on the 16th April, 1850. Mr. Bartram has four specimens, one of which is a male in immature plumage. A female was caught by a cat in the town of Hamilton on the 16lh October, 1874. The species appears to visit Bermuda twice.

Cyanospiza cyanea, Indigo Bird.— I had the pleasure of introducing this species into the Bermuda lists, the first specimen being a female shot near Devonshire Church, on January 14th, 1875. In March following I examined an immature male, shot by Mr. Bartram on the 1st of that month, and also unearthed two dingy female specimens in his collection, killed some years previously. I obtained a female in Devonshire Marsh on the 8th, a young male on the 11th, and another on the 22nd of March, and one or two others were subsequently procured in the same locality. There appeared to have been a regular "entrada" of them, and it was remarkable how pertinaciously they stuck to certain cedar groves round about Devonshire Church. I saw many others, and watched the changes of plumage of the male birds with great interest. By the end of April they had acquired the rich blue livery of the adult, and rivalled the Blue Bird in brilliancy of colouring. Lieut. Tallents, of the 20th Regiment, shot a splendid specimen on April 29th. This was the last we saw, and I imagine they all departed shortly afterwards, though we fondly hoped they might stay to breed. I found them easily approached at first, but when once disturbed they flew very rapidly away into the thick cedars. Their call-note was a loud, harsh "chee" or "tzee."