320 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



spicuous white spot on the breast. We witnessed the ascension and 

 retreat of this pack from the same key on our return a few days later. 



This little island is nearly bare except for the carpet of vines and 

 low bushes. A few specimens of the Conocarpiis, called here " button- 

 tree," are growing along the water's edge. It is ten or fifteen feet 

 high, and may be easily told at a glance by its silvery foliage. Its 

 flowers are inconspicuous, in small globular heads, but they are quite 

 fragrant. This and the Mhacichallis rupestris, called " seaweed " 

 by our boatmen, are characteristic of all these islands. The latter 

 is semi-prostrate, and has fine, spray-like foliage, resembling an ever- 

 green. Its light-gray bark is noticeable and also its small saffron 

 flowers. This shrub is very common on the exposed rocks just above 

 high-tide mark, where various mollusks are found in great numbers. 

 One univalve {Tectarius), nearly an inch long, is especially abundant. 

 The rocks are peppered with them, and clumps of several hundred 

 together are sometimes seen. It climbs up the stems of the Rhaci- 

 challis, on which it probably feeds, and seems to derive a double pro- 

 tection, from the colors of both the coral-rock and bark of this shrub, 

 which it perfectly simulates. 



Before landing at this key we had seen a large, black bird emerge 

 from a mass of twigs in a bush overhanging the water, and, with its 

 long neck outstretched, fly to an adjacent part of the island. This 

 proved to be the Florida cormorant {Phalacrocorax) and its nest. I 

 soon saw a number of these birds standing in line on a sand-spit with 

 heads erect, like a squad of soldiers at drill. The nest was a shallow, 

 rudely-built platform of twigs and grass, and contained three long, 



•4rw> 



Fio. 4.— Head of tue Yellotv-Biixed Tropic Bird (Phaeton flariroHris'\. (Three fourths natural 

 size. From a sketch made by Mr A. n. Jennings.) 



bluish-white eggs, of a coarse, chalky texture. We found several nests 

 on the island, most of which had been just completed. The long neck 

 and thick stub of a body gives the cormorant a comical appearance, 

 whether it is on the wing or walking erect on the beach. This species 

 has sooty-black plumage, a yellow throat, and a blue rim round the 



