236 ALONG THE FLORIDA REEF. 



cordial welcome. After some refreshments the 

 party started off to examine the key and the 

 big light. 



The island was almost entirely covered with 

 bay-cedar bushes, with here and there patches of 

 cactus. Its inhabitants were gulls, hermit and 

 spirit crabs, and a few insects. In pushing 

 through the brush Dick noticed a curious stick 

 on his coat, and, in brushing it off, discovered 

 that it was alive. 



" It's a walking-stick," said the doctor, laugh- 

 ing at the surprise of the boys, who had never 

 seen the insect before, " and one of the most re- 

 markable of all the mimics. In the extreme 

 tropics there is one nearly a foot long. The 

 walking-leaves are equally curious," added the 

 doctor, " being so almost exact in their re- 

 semblance that they find absolute protection in 

 it." 



The brush grew thick and it was hot and 

 close ; but the boys found something to amuse 

 them at almost every step. Big hermit-crabs 

 were plentiful, and a large purple land-crab was 

 exceedingly common, sulking under the cactus 



