IN FLORIDA. 99 



crushed, " if unreasonable people do not deprive it 

 of its natural flavor by complaining of the manner 

 in which it is cooked. But there is a better bird 

 than even a wild duck." 



"Yes," said the doctor, "there's the woodcock, 

 but what is the use of exciting our minds, and ag- 

 gravating our palates by referring to abstractions, 

 which cannot be realized as there are no woodcock 

 in Florida?" 



" There is a good bird in Florida, the very one I 

 refer to, and which could bo killed, if a person was 

 allowed to stop on hour or two and not be kept for- 

 ever on the move like the wandering Jew, "persisted 

 Mr Green, cocking back his chair on its hind legs, a 

 favorite position of his, although he had already re- 

 duced two of them to kindling wood by the operation. 



"You don't mean bay snipe!" exclaimed the doc- 

 tor in a disgusted tone, "we have had enough of 

 them." 



" He probably alludes to water- turkey," I observ- 

 ed quietly, "he has tasted every thing else." 



" I don't mean water-turkey either, although for 

 all you can tell it may be a good bird to eat. I mean 

 turkey without the water." With that he brought 

 the front legs of his chair to their natural position 

 with a thud that shook the deck. 



"Turkey," shouted the doctor with enthusiasm, 

 " just talk turkey to me, tell me where and when and 

 how. I would swim ashore, if there was a chicken 

 much more a turkey in sight, or the hut of a darkey, 

 who might have either to sell." 



