THE GULF COAST OF FLORIDA 255 



" Little Palace." This became our new home, and 

 here I again took up the study of Florida birds. 



By the first of June the exigencies of the climate 

 made it desirable for Mrs. Scott, and other mem- 

 bers of the family who were also at this point, to 

 seek the cooler region in the vicinity of New York. 

 I had previously determined to remain in Florida 

 continuously, as long as circumstances and my 

 health would permit ; and did not leave the re- 

 gion for nearly two years. 



The first excursion of a protracted length was 

 undertaken immediately after the departure of my 

 relatives for the North. I chartered a sloop and 

 secured the services of a skipper for a trip south, 

 to examine again some of the great rookeries and 

 breeding grounds of aquatic birds that I had for- 

 merly studied. Should time allow, I proposed 

 also to visit other localities still farther south. 

 At the time of starting on this trip I knew that 

 herons'" plumes, the aigrettes, had commercial 

 value, and believed that Florida probably contrib- 

 uted its share. But I had no other idea than that 

 I should be able readily to carry out the plan I 

 had laid down for studying the breeding habits of 

 the several herons. There was light needed in a 

 number of directions, and problems that I felt 

 sure could be solved without difficulty seemed to 

 await the coming of some observer. I did not at 

 all apprehend that, in the short period since I 



