TRAMPS THROUGH THE GULF STATES I 



BY R. W. SHUFELDT, M. D. 



(PHOTOGRAPHS FROM LIFE BY THE AUTHOR) 



HAVING traveled through all the Gulf tier of 

 States, resided in southern Louisiana for over a 

 year, and landed on the majority of the chain of 

 islands on the southern coast of Florida, it becomes a 

 pleasure for the writer to point out a few of the remark- 

 able differences to be noted in the animal and plant 

 forms in that part of our country, as compared with 

 what there is to be found in a similar way throughout 



THE COMMON MUSK TURTLE 



Figure 1. Throughout the lakes, ponds and rivers of some parts of 

 Texas, we meet with many species of turtles and terrapins; the one 

 here shown is a very abundant form. In the southern portion of its 

 range, the common Musk Turtle occurs in the waters of northeastern 

 Texas; it is so named from the remarkable musky odor it emits when 

 irritated. Few of our turtles are more strictly aquatic than this species. 



certain regions composing the northern and middle States. 



Unless one has tramped along the Texan banks of the 

 Rio Grande; spent weeks in the jungles of Louisiana; 

 collected natural history specimens in Alabama and 

 Mississippi, and waded in the swamp-lands of the lower 

 half of the Floridian peninsula, it is difficult to appreciate 

 the enormous stretch of typical, subtropical country we 

 have at our very doors for exploration in which to collect 

 material for study. As this region is passed into, what 

 one observes first of all is the gradual disappearance of 

 mountains and hills ; and further southward, no elevated 

 land whatever is to be seen. Great swamps and lagoons 

 occur, and big, more or less sluggish rivers, which empty 

 into the Gulf of Mexico. In many places these are all 

 lined with various subtropical trees, from the limbs and 

 branches of which hang somber, gray masses of 'Spanish 

 Beard," that gracefully sway to and fro in the breezes. 



There are many kinds of trees that are quite new to 

 the visitor, not to mention the wonderful array of strange 



plants, many bearing flowers, which, for beauty and 

 form, are totally unlike anything in the north. Over 

 these, in likely places, may flit gay butterflies that you 

 only know from having studied them in text-books or 

 seen them in collections. That big, white and black- 

 fellow there, hovering over the dainty orchid swinging 

 from the pecan branch, is surely a Pearly Malachite, 

 which not only is a rare form thus faf found only in 

 some parts of Florida and southwestern Texas, but we 

 know absolutely nothing of its early stages at least we 

 did not up till 1890. Before the day is out you will see. 

 too, many other butterflies that you never saw on any 

 of your outings through New England or any of our 



A YOUNG GREEN HERON 



Figure 2. This is a quaint looking little fellow about the time it 

 leaves the nest to look out for itself in the world. This species, 

 burdened with many vernacular names, does not breed in heronries, 

 but usually nests in a tree, far from its own kind. They breed all 

 through the Gulf States, and, in many places, rear their broods in 

 comparative safety, which is more than can be said of their fate in 

 thickly populated areas. 



northern States ; and this is equally true of what you 

 will discover, during evenings, in the way of moths and 

 various nocturnal insects. Very well does the writer 

 remember when scouting, many years ago, through the 

 lowlands of southern Alabama, and he stooped to get a 

 drink from a clear, little spring in the shades of the 



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