28 A NATURE WOOING. 



fall the entire flock rapidly departs for the shelter of 

 the woodland. 



Soon after noon the rain ceases and I start once 

 more along the roadway northward, my destination 

 being a large shell mound about a mile from the cen- 

 ter of the town, over the slope of which the road 

 passes. From this mound has been obtained for 

 years the material for the sidewalks of Ormond. It 

 is located within a few rods of the Halifax River, 

 and covers an area 1,136 feet in length; the width 

 varying from 144 to 362 feet. The greatest thickness 

 or height above the surrounding plain is ten feet. 

 The soil covering the surface of the mound is very 

 rich, and on it grow many magnificent specimens of 

 cabbage palmettos, live oaks and other trees. It is a 

 kitchen midden, or refuse heap of some ancient peo- 

 ple, composed of a number of species of shells, pieces 

 of pottery, bones of various animals, ashes, charcoal, 

 etc. I shall make many pilgrimages to it during my 

 stay and will give a detailed description of it here- 

 after. The above facts are mentioned in this connec- 

 tion in order that the reader may know something 

 of its character when reference is made to it on the 

 pages which follow. 



On my way to and from the mound this afternoon 

 I make a number of side excursions a short distance 

 into the woods on either side of the roadway. From 

 beneath some chunks of decaying palmetto, I secure 

 several specimens of a very large myriapod. A pine 



