40 Brewster on Florida Birds. 



es in many places completely overarched. Between their stems 

 appeared dismal pools choked with decaying logs and thickly 

 sprinkled with those curious objects called "cypress knees" 

 which reared their slimy heads above the stagnant water. The 

 general desolation of the scene was greatly enhanced by long 

 streamers of Tillandsia " moss" that hung from every limb and 

 waved impressively in the light morning air. 



These cypress swamps rarely afford any great variety of bird 

 life but they are by no means entirely deserted. The sonorous 

 whistle of the Redbird ( Cardinalis virginianus) , thc/W<v. peto 

 of the Tufted Titmouse, ami the clear notes of the Carolina 

 Wren enlivened the depths of the woods while in the tree tops 

 Yellow-throated (Dendroeca dominicd) and Blue Yellow-backed 

 Warblers sang incessantly. Turkey Buzzards wheeled and soared 

 overhead while an occasional dead tree was thronged with the 

 sable forms of the Black Vultures patiently waiting until the dead 

 alligator beneath should become sufficiently decomposed to afford 

 them a loathesome feast. More rarely a Swallow -tailed Kite glided 

 by, lashing the air with its cleft tail as it turned in its course or 

 spreading it to the utmost while it poised for a moment to in- 

 spect the ground beneath, then rising on motionless wing as 

 buoyantly as a ball of thistle-down it would float off over the woods. 

 Once six of these graceful creatures came in sight together, 

 chasing one another and playing like so many Swallows. When 

 at length they left us the scene seemed to lose something and we 

 hurried on. 



With the next bend the character of the scenery changed. The 

 river became more winding, and frequently doubled so sharply 

 on its course that we could see across the narrow strip of land 

 that separated the successive reaches. The current glided swiftly 

 between well defined banks or settled for a brief rest in pools 

 where tall sedge lined the shore and water-lilies floated on the 

 quiet surface. Willows and sweet gums took the places of the 

 cypresses next the stream, while in the background palmettos 

 reared their grotesque heads and hummocks of swamp oaks shut 

 out the skv. Everywhere near the water there was a profusion 

 of rank vegetation and where the eye could penetrate beyond it 

 rested on a matted undergrowth of saw-palmetto. The greens 

 were of that vivid shade seen only in the south and with the morn- 

 ing dew sparkling on every leaf, the scene was one of indescrib- 

 able freshness and beauty. 



