276 THE STORY OF A BIRD LOVER 



abounded. Overhead soared both kinds of buz- 

 zards common to the region, and bald eagles 

 might frequently be seen perched or flying. 



From the point where the flamingoes were 

 observed, I crossed to Bahia Honda on the Florida 

 reef, and thence turning again westward, sailed 

 about among the various Keys in a leisurely 

 manner, examining the birds and their breed- 

 ing grounds, and ultimately reached Key West. 

 Novelties that presented themselves on the way 

 were the Mangrove cuckoo, the Key West vireo, 

 and the black-whiskered vireo. On many of the 

 low mangrove islands colonies of yellow-crowned 

 night-herons were breeding, and throughout the 

 journey I not only frequently saw the great white 

 heron, a truly regal bird, but found it nesting, and 

 obtained both its eggs and young. 



At Key West I remained nearly three weeks, 

 during which time daily excursions were made to 

 procure representative birds and to obtain addi- 

 tional notes in regard to the migration, and com- 

 parative abundance of the several kinds. 



I will now give some account of a visit to 

 the Dry Tortugas, and the results that accrued 

 from it, and then briefly summarize the general 

 features, and more striking achievements of the 

 several seasons that were passed on the Gulf 

 Coast of Florida. 



The group of islands known as the Dry Tor- 



