Todd: The Birds of the Isle of Pines. 153 



southern part of the Isle of Pines, virtually dividing it into two islands, 

 partakes largely of the character of the coast for some distance from 

 its western end, and probably at its eastern end also. The water is 

 more or less brackish, and the mangroves follow up this condition. To- 

 wards the central portion, however, the water becomes fresh, and even 

 at the Paso de Piedras, the only available crossing-place, it is two or 

 three feet deep in the dry season. In its general character this great 

 swamp closely resembles the Florida Everglades (PI. XXV, fig. i). 

 Marshy areas with grasses and sedges alternate with open shallow pools 

 filled with water-lilies, or, on the other hand, with island-like " hum- 

 mocks," supporting a dense growth of broad-leaved shrubs, low trees, 

 and palms. As might naturally be expected, the Cienaga has a very 

 characteristic bird-fauna of its own, some species, as for example the 

 Cuban Red-wing and Purple Gallinule, being practically confined to its 

 limits. Herons of several kinds, the White Ibis, Cuban King Rail, 

 Limpkin, Antillean Tree Duck, and West Indian Jacana are among 

 the birds commonly observed here. It is to be regretted that there 

 was not sufficient time to give this interesting region a more thorough 

 investigation. 



South of the Cienaga lies the " south coast " — a region quite dif- 

 ferent in character from the main island, consisting of a fairly level 

 coral-limestone formation, the overlying soil being thin, but rich, 

 supporting in places a tangle of broad-leaved, partly deciduous trees, 

 shrubs, and vines, such as Pithecolohium arboreinn, Tecoma pentaphylla, 

 Metopium toxiferum, Biicida Biiceras, and Lysiloma bahamensis, some 

 of which are not known from the northern island. There are no pines 

 here, and barring a few cocoanut and royal palms along the coast 

 near habitations, the only palm noticed was Thrinax Wendlandiana, 

 which is particularly abundant along the tops of the cliffs facing the 

 sea. Scattered through this section there are numerous good-sized 

 lagoons, only one of which, however, the Laguna de Piedras, a short 

 distance south of Pasadita, was visited by Mr. Link, who reports 

 that it was of the same general character as the Cienaga itself. He was 

 able also to make an overland trip from Bogarona, on Siguanea Bay, 

 to Caleta Grande, and thence to Caleta Cocodrilos. Along this 

 portion of the coast the surf beats against jagged perpendicular cliffs, 

 which in some places were perhaps eighty or ninety feet in height. A 

 narrow shelf, with numerous projecting jagged rocks, extends out 

 from the coast for a short distance, beyond which the water deepens 



