56 



THE OREGON NATURALIST. 



SOME COLLECTING IN "HErt- hinga and a little later I took a X 



ON SWAMP." set. These three nests were in trees 



not over twenty feet high and in the 



BY R. w. WILLIAMS, JR. most Open part of the swamp. 



Our attention was next directed to 



Heron Swamp, named by myselt, is a clump of trees from which a number 



a small cypress swamp, covering about of Herons were flying. We entered 



three acres or more, situated three the clump of trees and for the first 



and one-half miles West of Tallahas- time in my life I saw a "Crane's" 



see, Florida. The cypress trees which nest. One egg lying on nest — a mere 



grow therein are as a rule not over platform structure — composed of a 



thirty feet high, though some reach few dead sticks placed on a small limb 



the height of one hundred or more of a very small cypress. After getting 



feet. In some places the trees are a good look at this "wonder" my eyes 



much thicker than in others; it is in came in contact with a sight that 



these thick places that the Little Blue never before dazzled them so. It was 



and Snowy Heron's nest, as also Red- abcut twenty nests, .some containing 



disli Egrets. Green Heron's, Anhingas two eggs and others but one egg. It 



and occasionally a Grackle's nest is was time befoie I could move, .such a 



tound enscon.sed in a thick growth of laughing spell took possession of me. 



Spanish moss. I climbed up to get that one egg 



The water is not over five and one- which I had seen first but as fast as I 



half feet deep in most places, and climbed one step I slipped a half one 



where the Herons nest it is .sometimes and before I reached the nest which 



not over knee deep. which was only about 12 feet up, I 



I had heard much talk of "Robert's was thoroughly exhausted. In future 

 Swamp" and the treasures as well as visits to the swamp I always left 

 the horrors it held. Sometime in 1893 those leggings behind and had my 

 a boy and myself started afoot for that pants free so that the water could run 

 wonderful land. When we reached a through. We took all the eggs, some- 

 big oak which stands alone near the thing like 25, and thought we were 

 edge of the swamp we proposed to go well repaid foi our trouble. As I had 

 in. The first sign of bird life which no collecting box I was compelled to 

 met my gaze was a big "Crane" .sit- u.se my best derby to put that "im- 

 ting by her nest and inside of the nest men.se take" in. 



two gawky looking nestlings. Of Imagine my feeling when I came 



course I hastened my .steps and before out of the swamp, wet, tired, hungry 



I knew it I was under the water, head and worst of all, my shoes were full of 



and all. When I finally extticated mud. I could not take them off for if 



myself from the weeds and nurd I I did I'd never get them back on 



climl)ed up to see those "Cranes," again. We started for home. Were 



and while examing the young birds, caught in a rain but kept on. When 



the boy with me took a '4 .set of An- I reached home: "Where have you 



