WATER TlIHUSn. C-iy 



tail, •-'. 1 .J ; i.f lull. .(> 1 ; of tarsus. .S(i. Smallest lunj^tli, 'j.riO ; smallest stretch of wings, 8.t>(j ; smallest length 

 of wiii;4, L' SI) ; of tail, l.:»() ; uf bill, ..')(.) ; of tarsus, .SO. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 Ne.sts, composed of leaves, mosses, and fine grasses ; lined with fine mosses and roots. Dimensions. 

 External diameter, Tj.OO inches; internal, 3.50 inches. External depth, ii.OO inches ; internal, 2.00 inches. 

 Eggs, four or five in number, flesh colored, spotted throughout with light, reddish brown. Dimensions, 

 from .7o by .GO to .S.'] by .I!."), 



HABITS. 



TIk' i.-^Ianil of Ki'v WvA i.s ahout.six miles in length, and is of an irregular I'orni, he- 

 ing nearly divided in the middle by a deep cove which opens to the westward. A creek 

 also makes in iix)in the eastward, and forms an outlet to a large, shallow basin of water, 

 whi(;li is called '• The Salt Pond." An artificial canal connects this sheet with the cove, 

 so that the key is really separated into two islaiuls. The city stands upon the southern- 

 most one, which, owing to a rich deposit of soil, is covered with a luxuriant growth of 

 vegetation. The northern islet is entirely uninhabited, being somewhat barren; even in 

 the interior, one sees but a few species of trees or shrubs, and the.se are dwarfed by the ex- 

 tieme Iieat whicli prevails at certain seasons, for the vegetable mould is thinly spread 

 Ti})ou the coral that f)inis the foundation of all the Florida keys, but as we approach the 

 western slu)re this scanty supply of vegetation vanishes and the surface of the rock is ex- 

 posed. This limy formation is comparativel_y soft, and the action of the elements has worn 

 it into jagged points ; while the surface water, caused by rains, has formed numerous small 

 channels, of a foot or eighteen inches in depth, through which it escapes into the sea. A 

 few hardy plants grow along the borders of these little fissures, but all else is a rough 

 plain of blackened rocks, until we come to the high-water line. Here grows one of the 

 true products of the tropics, — the mangrove. One unaccustomed to the habits of these trees 

 would be surprised to see them existing in so desolate a spot, especially where they ai'e so 

 constantly washed by the salt waves, yet they appear in a flourishing condition, and not 

 only mark a line along the shore, l)ut form. many little verdant islands far out in the light 

 green waters of tlie Gulf of Mexico. Their manner of growth is singular; the roots are 

 not only long, but flexible, and grasp any projection of the surface that presents itself, or 

 thrust themselves into the crevices of the rocks when they come within their reach. But 

 this support would be of little avail in enabling the tree to maintain an upright position 

 during the heavy winds which often occur in this region. Nature, however, has provided 

 powerful Ijraces in the shape of aerial roots which are thrown out from various heights, 

 and growing downward reach the rock and fasten themselves firmly. Shoots start UY> 

 from these, which in their turn throw out other.s, and thus the whole forms a dense thicket 

 with interlacing branches and root-stalks, through which it is extremely difticidt to force 

 a passage. 



The mangrt)ves, which foian the narrow edging along the western shore, were not 

 high, yet they were chosen as an asylum by a large numl)er of birds, and consequently I 

 frequently visited them in search (jf the rarer .species. While so engaged I observed some 



