92 



A NATURE WOOING. 



in the vernacular of the darkey, the "Mokey." We 

 went as far as Misener's Landing, where the hotel 

 people have erected a rude log cabin for the shelter 

 and accommodation of such of their guests as choose 

 to make the trip. 



We first ascended the Halifax in the face of a 

 strong, north head wind, for six miles, when we ?ame 

 to the broad mouth of the Tomoka, which enters 

 from the west. On the way up the Halifax we saw 

 a number of cormorants, Phalacrocorax dilophus 

 Swainson, perched on the poles or posts erected along 

 the stream as channel guides for the pilot. They 



would sit motion- 

 less, with necks far 

 outstretched until 

 the boat was almost 

 .opposite, then move 

 onward close to the 

 water, in long, lum- 

 bering flight, to a 

 distant perch. Sev- 

 eral flocks of "blue- 

 bills," or scaup 



ducks, Aythya marila L., were also flushed^ their 

 white sides and backs as they flew disclosing their 

 identity. 



The mouth of the Tomoka is a third of a mile in 

 width and very shallow, but after fairly entering the 

 stream it narrows to one hundred and fifty yards or 





Fig. 29 Scaup Duck. 



