30 



HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. 



but said, " They all gone." According to his statement, when he 

 was a boy game was very abundant in the country about the Cypress 

 Creek and Hillsboro River. Bears were numerous at that time, but 

 nowadays it is rare to find one in that country. Deer are still abund- 

 ant, but Old Charlie says they are much less so than formerly. 



In the Big Cypress Swamp and in some localities near Lake 

 Okeechobee paroquets are numerous. I have seen flocks near 

 Cypress Creek, and killed a number of specimens last winter near 

 Snook Creek. At one time they were abundant on the Kis- 

 simmee River, but are so no longer. Paroquets build their nest in 

 holes in trees, as a rule, and the Indians wait till the young are half 

 grown, and then, during the absence of the old birds, they cut the 

 tree nearly through ; the next night, watching their chance, they 

 fell the tree quickly with one or two blows of the axe and catch the 

 birds in the hole before they have time to escape. 



LOCATION OF VILLAGES. 



There are five principal settlements of Florida Indians. These 

 are situated, (i) in the Big Cypress, southwest of Okeechobee, (2) 



INDIAN CAMP, NEW RIVER. 



