Itf FLORIDA. 105 



an immense bird moving grandly and steadily, with 

 slowly beating wings and extended neck and legs. 



"What an enormous creature/' exclaimed one of 

 the ladies. 



" It must be a rock," chimed in the o'ther. 



" Here take the stick, while I get the glass," 

 saying which, Mr. Green let go of the tiller, and 

 plunged into the cabin to reappear with the binoc- 

 ular, which he fixed on the wondrous bird. 



" What do you make out of him?" inquired the 

 doctor, who had forgotten his pipe in the excite- 

 ment till it had gone out. 



" It is a crane," replied Seth, " but the largest one 

 ever I saw. Charley," he asked our captain, " did 

 you ever see such a crane as that before? " 



* No, I never did," was the answer. " It must 

 be something of the sort however, from the way it 

 flies and holds its legs." 



" I wonder whether it can be the whooping crane?" 

 I inquired, " I have heard that they are occasional- 

 ly seen on the coast, although supposed to be more 

 numerous in the interior." 



"Oh can't you shoot it, what feathers it must 

 have for hats." The origin of this remark was ob- 

 vious. 



" If you want feathers a yard long! Why it is 

 nearly as large as an ostrich." 



" Well, don't we use ostrich feathers ? Oh do 

 shoot it, I want some long white feathers. " 



" It is a little too far off," I replied. 



"How far?" was the persistent inquiry. 



