Zoological Recreation in Florida Bay. 319 



While we were doing our best to secure all the species we could and 

 explore as much ground as possible, we kept one eye seaward as symp- 

 toms of the returning tide began to appear. But when we were finally 

 driven off it was with full loads, and we considered the results satis- 

 factory. Having transferred our spoils to the schooner, we bade 

 farewell to Sandv Kev, and -at two o'clock in the afternoon sailed for 

 Cape Sable. By the calculation of the Captain the distance was 

 seven miles. The wind having freshened up we sailed over in a little 

 more than an hour, and came to anchor off the Cape. A number of 

 sharks were taking their daily rations of mullets and other small fish 

 along the shore. On one side of us was the sea, on the other a wild- 

 erness of vast extent and uninhabited. Just the place for fun, as the 

 Doctor remarked, while we were going ashore, but the Captain who 

 had left his lassie at Key West could not see the point. Along the 

 shore the land is much higher than it is further back, and a narrow 

 strip had evidently been cleared and cultivated at some former time. 

 It seems that during the Seminole war a force was stationed here. On 

 examination we found the remains of a cellar, and a few timbers. 

 The clearing was now ovei-grown with coarse grass, thistles, and a 

 species of Cactus. We saw numerous large holes excavated here and 

 there. These belong to the gopher turtle. Having examined the 

 ground carefully, we found under the leaves of the thistles several 

 species of land shells, Helix nonlijera, (Shutt.), Helix carpenter iana, 

 (Bland), and a small variety of Glandina, were quite abundant. A 

 recent fire, of which we saw the marks, had destroyed some other 

 species no doubt. We next began our investigations in the adjoining 

 forest. Along its margin were growing palms, papagas and gums. 

 On the latter were obtained numerous specimens of Odhalicus Zebra, 

 (Brug.), similar to those at Sandy Key. AVe first saw here Lignus 

 fasciata, (Mul.) There were two varieties distinguished by the pre- 

 sence of black and yellow bands. The tidal wave and hurricane that 

 occurred in Florida a few years ago had done much damage to the 

 trees, as many of them were overturned, and the signs of devastation 

 everywhere apparent. Having " beat around the bush" long enough 

 to satisfy our curiosity, we resolved to explore further within the 

 wilderness. This was no easy matter. A tangled mass of young man- 

 groves, Cactacex, (such as the night blooming cereus), and other 

 tropical vegetation, filled up the spaces between the larger trees, and 

 rendered our progress one of diflficulty. All the mosquitoes in Florida 

 seemed to have concentrated for the purpose of giving us a bloody 

 welcome. I should say they were of the same genera a.s tlie Northern 

 variety, but much fiercer, and not having tasted the blood of a Yankee 



