362 Wavxe 071 Florida Birds. \_o'^. 



the air — with part of a fish in their claws with loud vociferations 

 darting down perhaps 100 yards. They seem proud of their prey. 



"9. Seldom take one from the ground when dropped. 



" 10. Are so voracious that I presume when they have young 

 they devour in 300 nests — two or three fish a day of 2 or 3 lbs. 

 each fish — 7 or 800 fish a day in July & August. 



"11. They seem fond of the striped bass which they cross 

 Gardiner's Bay &: Long Island to the Atlantic for. Are not 

 known to refuse any other fish than the one commonly called 

 Toad fish of the ponds. 



"12. Are seen frequently crossing Gardiner's Bay with a stick 

 in their claws, but it is not known whether from an unsuccessful 

 fishing voyage or for the w^ant of such particular stick for their 

 nests. 



"Facts communicated by John L. Gardiner." 



NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF THE WACISSA AND 

 AUCILLA RIVER REGIONS OF FLORIDA. 



BY ARTHUR T. WAYNE. 



February 9, 1894, I commenced to make observations on the 

 avifauna of the Wacissa River and adjacent country. I selected 

 the village of Waukeenah, in Jefferson County, as a base to work 

 from, which is ten miles south of Monticello, the County seat, 

 and about six miles from the head waters of the Wacissa River. 



The country around Waukeenah is high and rolling, and the 

 line of demarcation is so closely drawn, that upon leaving the hill 

 country you pass immediately into the flat woods of the Wacissa. 

 Within a mile of the flat woods the hills are so high that you can 

 see over the forests of the \\'acissa, as well as see the smoke from 

 the famous Florida ' volcano,' which must be in Jeft'erson County, 

 near the line of Wakulla County. 



The country around Waukeenah is one vast clearing, which is 

 all under cultivation. The Wacissa River presents a difterent 



