202 BAHAMA BIRD-LIFE 



storm, which prevents the growth of such forms of life as 

 flourish on the reefs. Hence, the bottom is usually as clean 

 and smooth as a sanded floor. Fish, finding neither food nor 

 hiding-places, are rare, and for the first-named reason, birds 

 are wanting. I have sailed for days over the Banks with- 

 out seeing so much as a Tern. 



After running for forty miles under power, we anchored 

 off Norman Key where an hour or two ashore resulted in 

 the observation of the common key birds the Bahaman 

 Mockingbird, Vireo (V. crassirostris), and Honey Creeper, 

 which was nesting, together with a singing Catbird (Galeos- 

 coptes), a species which was also found in song in Nassau. 

 The beach was marked with tracks, probably of the Yellow- 

 crowned Night Heron, which occurs frequently on even the 

 smallest keys, running about under the dense, scrubby veg- 

 etation, more like a Eail than a Heron. 



April 1 threatened to end the cruise. Six hours ' beating 

 against a strong southwest wind having yielded only eight 

 miles, we came to anchor under Elbers Key, which, although 

 only a few hundred yards long, gave us some protection. 

 The surf on the southern side of the key was magnificent, 

 the now heavy seas striking the jagged limestone as they 

 would a breakwater and throwing white masses of 'water in- 

 to the air with the force and effect of a submarine explosion. 

 While congratulating ourselves that we were on the right 

 side of the key, where, in marked contrast, the water met 

 the beach with scarce a ripple, a bank of black clouds began 

 to form at the northern horizon ; the south wind dropped 

 suddenly, and over the dark waters at the north, a line of 

 foam was seen advancing so rapidly that in less than ten 

 minutes the surf changed sides, so to speak, and we were 

 now on the wrong side of the key. 



To seek shelter from the southern wind, we had gone as 

 near the key as our draught would permit, and this surpris- 

 ing shift placed us almost in the surf. It was evident that 

 the vessel could be saved only by leaving this position at 



