WALKS ABOUT TALLAHASSEE. 229 



about, a slow and ticklish operation, 

 so that its back was presented to the sun ; 

 as if it had dried one side of its wings and 

 tail, for the latter, too, was fully spread, 

 and now would dry the other. There for 

 some time it sat preening its feathers, with 

 monstrous twistings and untwistings of its 

 snaky neck. If the chat is a clown, the wa- 

 ter turkey would make its fortune as a con- 

 tortionist. Finally it rose, circled about till 

 it got well aloft, and then, setting its wings, 

 sailed away southward and vanished, leav- 

 ing me in a state of wonder as to where it 

 had come from, and whether it was often to 

 be seen in such a place perfectly open, 

 close beside the highway, and not far from 

 houses. I did not expect ever to see an- 

 other, but the next morning, on my way up 

 the railroad to pay a second visit to the 

 ivory-bill's swamp, I looked up by chance, 

 a brown thrush was singing on the tele- 

 graph wire, and saw two anhingas soaring 

 overhead, their silvery wings glistening in 

 the sun as they wheeled. I kept my glass 

 on them till the distance swallowed them up. 

 Of one long forenoon's ramble I retain 

 particular remembrance, not on account of 



