. . . Can you understand that it is 

 not only scientific results that are the 

 recompense for all this trouble and 

 annoyance, but more, much, much more? 



LORENZ * 



II The spoonbill comes into its own 



Even in the sparkling light of midafternoon an isolated man- 

 grove key in Florida Bay has strange undertones of life, unseen 

 stirrings, and an indescribable awareness. The human intruder may 

 be alone, but there is the uncomfortable feeling of being watched. 

 Such creatures as are visible an osprey, a distant and alert great 

 white heron stare with persistent grimness. The osprey's thin, 

 nervous cry is disconcerting. The heavy marl, filled with shell par- 

 ticles that scratch and irritate the skin of your legs and feet, sucks 

 tenaciously as if trying to hold you fast. Great burrowing crabs 

 retreat with gestures of crustacean anger and contempt, throwing 

 tiny jets of liquid from their grotesque heads. 



At every step the wall of mangrove shuts doors or drops opaque 

 curtains. The air is still and the small but very maddening mos- 

 quitoes swarm in tireless droves, biting viciously. On the weather 

 side of the key I could barely hear the winter breeze piling short, 

 choppy waves against the solid bank of buttress roots that guard 

 the shoreline. In the center of the area there was no movement of 

 * King Solomon's Ring. 

 14 



