14 ALONG THE FLORIDA REEF. 



tumbled out and hauled her above the water- 

 line. 



They started at once to explore the beach, 

 and soon came upon an old wreck, which the 

 tides had evidently driven higher and higher, 

 year after year, until it was now high and dry, 

 the haunt of crabs and gulls, which had evi- 

 dently taken complete possession. Tom noted 

 one bird of so brilliant a red that he determined 

 to secure it. A shot from his gun brought it 

 down with a broken wing. It started for the 

 water at once, but Tom dashed into the surf and 

 caught it just in time. 



" Isn't it a splendid fellow to set up in our 

 collection ? " asked Tom enthusiastically. " It's 

 a spoonbill, isn't it ? " 



" Yes," the doctor replied, " and a fine speci- 

 men, too. Its feathers, you see, are blood-red, 

 and its bill is spread out at the end, not unlike 

 the bowl of a spoon. Hence its name, the ro- 

 seate spoonbill." 



After a stroll, followed by a rest on the 

 beach, the party took to the boat again, intend- 

 ing to make a circuit of the little island. As 



