Zoological Reireation in Florida Bay. 317 



a perfect calm. The "Mud Banks," covering several hundred acre?, 

 were entirely bare of water. Here was our opportunity. I pro- 

 claimed the discovery to my comrades below by a sort of Indian whoop, 

 that brought the Colonel to the deck instauter, minus a shirt button, 

 who upon ascertaining the cause of the explosion and bestowing a few 

 adjectives of admiration, retired for repairs. The frugal meal of 

 bacon, hard tack, and coffee, being over, we prepared to disembark. 

 This did not take long. The most we required being some baskets 

 and a canteen of rainwater. The latter being very necessary, as the 

 weather was hot and thirst easily excited. Since leaving the mouth 

 of the Mississippi we had been engaged in washing out the fluviatile 

 deposits of that delectable stream, which seemed disposed to form 

 jetties all through our systems. Rainwater straight, less a few poUy- 

 wogs, was our main stay. But even this, after having circulated, 

 percolated, and exuded, through our epidermis, seemed to change its 

 nature into that of the marine element around us. Ice was non est. 

 Key West lightning was seventy miles away. And so reduced to the 

 pure aqua we resolved to make the best of it. Having embarked in 

 the dingy we were soon on terra firma again. Landing on the Key we 

 explored the beach as far as the point where the mud banks began. 

 The tide being out, was most favorable for our purpose. The wind 

 and waves had done us good service in washing up shells, which the 

 day before we had not seen. Most of these were shallow water 

 species. Cerith. mmcarmn, (Say), and Bulla occidentalis, (Ad.), were 

 abundant. The mangrove trees growing out in the water were fully 

 exposed to view. About their network of roots were many thousands 

 of Ostreas, or raccoon oysters. Some were finely colored and of large 

 size. Having tested their edible qualities we collected some of the 

 finest specimens. Clinging to the shells were Mytilus hamatus, (Say), 

 and a Perna. The "Mud Banks" which extended out into the Bay, 

 from the upper end of the Key, next engaged our attention. Several 

 hundred acres were bare of water, thus affording a fine opportunity 

 for securing species not easily obtained at other times. One of the 

 first, the largest and most abundant, that we saw, was Fasc. gigantea, 

 (Kiener). The shell sometimes attains a length of two feet, without, 

 of a brownish red color, within, the aperture is of a carmine reddish 

 hue, the same as the foot of the animal. An operculum attached to 

 this forms a door, and enables the occupant to shut itself in most 

 effectually. The spawn cases, containing the young shells, are im- 

 mense, some being three feet long, and each case about the size of a 

 half dollar, and twice as thick, is united to the next by a long ribbon, 

 which connects the whole series together. This is simply deposited by 



