THE GULF COAST OF FLORIDA. 237 



three to four weeks the entire coast can be thoroughly ex- 

 plored, hunted and fished, from Webb's to the Florida reefs, 

 at the extreme south end of the peninsula, including short 

 trips up the Myakka, Caloosahatchie, Fahkahnatehee and other 

 rivers. At Cape Romano, Fort Myers, Punta Rassa, Fort 

 Poinsett and many other points along the coast, deer are 

 abundant, and bears, panthers, wild cats and wolves are fre- 

 quently met with. The fishing is superb all along the coast, 

 and the naturalist may collect many rare and interesting 

 icthyological, ornithological and conchological specimens 

 not to be found elsewhere in the United States. 



A shot-gun and rifle will both be needed, thougn a 

 cylinder-bore shot-gun, and supply of buck-shot cartridges in 

 addition to the supply of small-shot may answer all purposes. 

 The greater need of the rifle is for the larger game which 

 frequently offers long range shots where a shot-gun is entirely 

 useless, and if the sportsman be a clever rifle shot, he should 

 always provide himself with both. 



A large supply of ammunition should be provided for 

 each, for there is such a great variety and such countless 

 numbers of birds and animals constantly presenting them- 

 selves, that although many of them be not game, still the 

 temptation to shoot them is so strong that few resist it. For 

 instance, there are cranes, pelicans, cormorants, water 

 turkeys, alligators, etc., offering shots at all ranges, and 

 affording such fine opportunities for practice that any one is 

 justifiable in improving these opportunities when not in 

 localities where game is to be found. I estimate, from 

 experience and observation, that an enthusiastic sportsman 

 will shoot away 300 shells in each week that he may spend in 

 Florida, and if he be provided with rifle and shot-gun both, 

 perhaps an equal division of this number between the two 

 would not be far from the proper figure. 



