17 
and palmetto. This ridge gradually passes into the deltas of 
several creeks and into that of the Kissimmee River at the north. 
The western side of the lake is shallow and mostly filled with 
pondweed. Its border consists of Everglade formation. The 
southern shore is a high ridge of peat or peaty soil which supports 
a dense hammock and gradually tapers off into the Everglades. 
South bay is also pretty well filled with pondweed and lined 
with muddy shores which support eri luxuriant vegeta- 
tion and remarkable pond-apple hammocks. 
animal life of the pementis we paid little attention, 
ae aa as was forced upon us. We noticed many kinds of 
ese because of protection throughout the state of 
Florida fe become remarkably numerous and tame. am- 
mals were represented most ate name by otters and racoons. 
Of course, bear, deer, and wild-cats are plentiful, but they keep 
themselves out of sight. Reptiles were well oo pe 
alligators, crocodiles, water-moccasins, and rattlesnakes. 
ever, all these animals seemed insignificant after we ae ic 
home of the mosquito and the blind-mosquito. The sia als 
did not trouble us at all in the Everglades proper, but when w 
entered Pelican sound, we found the mosquito and the prelates 
found us; but the greatest surprise awaited us as we started u 
the eastern shore of the lake. There we made the acquaintance 
of the blind-mosquito. These animals are about the size of the 
common mosquitoes, but they do not bite. However, their 
attack which is vici ous, Aaserei and ane is pure bluff, 
and their numbers are incredible. ey live on the vegetation 
along the shore, and at a they are eee to a light-colored 
object or to the lights of a boat. They were so numerous that 
they actually buried the lantern on the upper deck of our boat 
and accumulated in a mass to the depth of a foot on the lower 
deck. The only way in which we could escape the plague was 
to shut up the cabin at sunset, put out all lights and go to bed, 
but in spite of all we could do, thousands would find their way 
inside. 
Having put in all the time at our disposal on the lake we 
deaes os Fort Lauderdale by the same course as we came to the 
