in the Peninsula of Florida. 139 



bears, cougars, or tigers as they are called, otters, foxes, racoons, 

 opossums, squirrels, and rabbits. Bears are very plentiful in 

 some localities. Sir Francis Sykes, with a party of friends, 

 passed three winters on this coast, making Sheldon^s their head- 

 quarters. One winter they killed as many as thirty-five bears, 

 principally on Merritt's Island, near Cape Canaveral, where they 

 were camping out. There is no possibility of having good sport 

 with bears without dogs. At certain times the bears are in the 

 habit of coming down to the shore to feed on Horse-shoe Crabs, 

 and shots at them may then be obtained by stalking. A few 

 years ago Roseate Spoonbills were plentiful down Indian River, 

 but of late their numbers have greatly diminished, owing to their 

 being shot for the sake of the wings, which are greatly in demand 

 for the purpose of making fans. People from the Northern States, 

 who come to Florida to pass the winter, buy them to take back 

 as presents. I have heard of seven dollars being given for a pair. 

 A negro steward on board the ' Darlington,^ a slave, offered me 

 1^ dollar a pair for as many as I could let him have (I had 

 none), and said that he could sell them for two dollars, which 

 I believe is the minimum price. At this figure they will soon 

 be killed down. Sheldon^s two sons, George and Henry, kill 

 numbers of them. From the former^s account, it appears that 

 these birds, after breeding down Indian River, move northwards 

 and remain during the summer in the salt-marshes about Smyrna. 

 One, which had been brought up from Indian River to Shel- 

 don^s, a year ago, is now here, and quite tame, associating with 

 the poultry. It can fly well, and frequently takes itself off to 

 the shore to feed when the tide is out. 



While I was staying at Smyrna Henry Sheldon brought up 

 four young Spoonbills from Indian River, which he had taken 

 from the nest a short time previous. There appeared to be no 

 difficulty in rearing them. 



April 2. — Thick fog in the morning. Out at nine o'clock, for 

 a couple of hours ; but the sun is very hot, and I get nothing. 

 The only bird of any account seen is a Swallow-tailed Kite, 

 soaring at a distance. One great advantage of this part of Flo- 

 rida — at least at this time of year — is that there are not many 

 insects to trouble one. There are neither ants, ticks, nor garra- 



