92 THE STORY OF A BIRD LOVER 



reached the main stream, which was one of the 

 characteristic rivers of Florida, very similar in 

 appearance to the Ocklawaha before the advent 

 of the hunters. 



Along the "run " were groves of cypress, and its 

 marshy banks were fringed with saw-grass. Just 

 in front of the house this had been cleared away, 

 leaving an open space on the bank. The "run" 

 afforded a highway morning and evening for 

 great troops of water-birds, — ducks, herons, and 

 ibises, — which spent their days feeding at points 

 on the river, and returned at night to roost some- 

 where on the borders of the lake. In the morn- 

 ing and evening this crowded thoroughfare 

 formed a most lively and interesting spectacle. 

 Game was abundant in the woods about, deer and 

 bear frequently coming close to the house, and 

 wild turkeys could be heard gabbling at sunrise 

 and sunset. The nearest neighbors were located 

 some five miles away, which will emphasize the 

 remoteness of the plantation. 



Space forbids dwelling in these pages on the 

 details of the stay at this point, except to notice 

 one or two of the most salient ornithological 

 features that the fauna of this lake presented. 



On its shore were large swamps with great 

 areas of low-growing willows, and these were the 

 roosting places in winter and the breeding places 

 in summer of myriads of water-birds, — herons, 



