T H E W I N D 155 



the way I could collect a series of lizards and examine the 

 topography. By this casuistry I salved my conscience although 

 I knew that I could accomplish that result in one quarter the 

 time by crossing the creek at its mouth and passing the barrier 

 of mangroves. But then the spoonbills would have been lost 

 to me. 



In a small boat the exploration of this lonely creek would 

 have been but a matter of a few hours, nor would there have 

 been any difficulty if there had been a shore to walk along. 

 Instead the tangled roots of the mangroves thrust out every- 

 where, forcing me to keep well out in the center. At first the 

 bottom was smooth white sand, hard and firm under foot; pres- 

 ently this became soft and fine, oozy and then mucky. I should 

 have turned back then, and would have done so, giving up 

 the quest as hopeless, but just as I was about to retrace my steps 

 I caught sight of the spoonbills again. They were wading in 

 the shallows, feeding with queer graceful lateral motions of 

 their bills. These were thrust into the water and passed rapidly 

 back and forth as the birds scooped up the small shells, tiny 

 minnows and small fry on which they feed. Leisurely they took 

 to the wing again and flew up the river. 



Late afternoon found me well up into the labyrinths of the 

 swamp. Seven or eight times I had been on the point of turn- 

 ing back but always the hope of finding the nests urged me on. 

 The spoonbills kept tantahzingly out of reach. The mangroves 

 were literally alive with waterbirds. Great droves of migrant 

 plover and sandpipers trooped in regiments about the mud 

 flats. Several flocks of pelicans alternately glided and flapped 

 above the green water or dived with great splashes after fish. 

 Little green herons were legion; they swarmed everywhere, 

 under the mangroves, between the shallows; the air was filled 

 with their guttural clacking; dozens burst into the air with 

 frightened squawks, flying a few yards and then settling again 



