484 Wright and 11 lrper, The Birds ofOkefinokee Swamp. [o"i. 



land surface crawl numerous snakes, among which may be men- 

 tioned the spreading adder (Heterodon platyrhinus), black snake 

 (Zamenis constrictor), king snake (Ophibolus gettdus), and three 

 species of rattlesnakes (Crotaltis adarnanteus, C. horridus, and Sis- 

 trurus miliarius). The Florida terrapin (Chrysemys floridana) 

 and the southern soft-shelled turtle (Trionyx ferox) come upon the 

 islands in large numbers to deposit their eggs, which furnish a 

 much-prized article of diet for the predaceous mammals, such as 

 the opossum (Didelphis virginiana), raccoon (Procyon lotor), 

 Florida hear I Ursus floridantis) skunk (Mephitis elongata), and wild 

 cat (Lynx ruffus). That the ground-loving birds maintain them- 

 selves while so many enemies are rampant in these restricted quar- 

 ters, is surprising. Furthermore, some o( the islands are often 

 burnt over by the residents or by hunters in order to improve the 

 grazing or To facilitate hunting. Among the birds that are most 

 typical of this habitat and show a decided preference for it, are the 

 Bob-white, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Wood Pewee, Florida 



Hliic .lay. Southern Mcadowlark, Pine-woods Sparrow, White- 

 eyed Towhee, Summer Tanager, Fine Warbler, Brown-headed 

 Nuthatch, and Bluebird. The Sandhill Crane, Florida Red-shoul- 

 dered lhn\k. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Southern Hairy Woodpecker, 

 Pileated Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-bellied Wood- 

 pecker, Kingbird, Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Warbler, 

 Carolina Wren, and Florida White-breasted Nuthatch also occur 

 here (and most o( them commonly), hut at the same time are found 

 in greater or less numbers elsewhere within the swamp. 



The pine barrens surrounding the swamp hear a general resem- 

 blance in topography and vegetation To those on the islands, hut 

 are for the most part somewhat higher and drier. They have 

 suffered much from the 'lumbering and turpentine industries. 

 Among the birds, the Wild Turkey. Mourning Dove, Sparrow 

 Hawk. Southern Hairy Woodpecker, Flicker, Chuck-will's-widow, 

 Xighthawk, Purple Martin, and Brown Thrasher appear to he 

 more common in the environs than in the pine barrens within the 

 SWamp. Among the other groups, it is asserted that such forms 

 as the gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), 'salamander' (Geomys), 

 and coachwhip snake (Zamenis flageUum) do not reach the Okefino- 

 kee islands. An intensive study and comparison of the two faunas 

 would doubtless reveal other interesting differences. 



