206 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



of Mocking birds and Cardinals. Florida Yellowthroats, like their 

 northern namesakes, peered out through their black masks from the 

 scrub palmettos. They are a deeper yellow beneath, have browner 

 backs, and a wider mask. 



We sat under an immense banyan tree to eat our lunch. The dainty 

 blue-gray Gnatcatchers, shaped like tiny Catbirds, flew fearlessly about 

 us, their call note "ting, ting" sounded like the twanging of your banjo, 

 humming birds darted about, and a Red-bellied Woodpecker beat a tat- 

 too on a branch over our heads, he had on a brilliant red cap, and a 

 pretty black and white coat. What do you suppose we had for lunch, 

 peanut sandwiches, pickles and cake? No indeed. We had sweet, 

 juicy oranges just picked, some mandarins, grape fruit, and bananas, 

 also fresh from the trees. Our drink was milk from a great cocoanut 

 which had fallen into the path purposely for us. We ate its white meat, 

 and used for napkins pieces of the tough fiber with which the base of 

 each leaf of the cocoanut palm is wrapped. Jack picked up and tasted 

 a ripe olive for a relish, and has puckered up his face at the mere men- 

 tion of olives since. 



On our way home we passed a grove of tall palms which seemed to 

 bear a queer fruit. The branches were black with the turkey buzzards, 

 which are so abundant here. 



They are very much like the vultures which we saw at Charleston, 

 but seem a little larger and more graceful, and the skin of their heads 

 is bright red. 



Here were thousands of these birds, with wide spread wings taking 

 a sun bath. They looked like giant bats. On some of the palm branches 

 they stood in rows of six and seven, and often one more would try to 

 join a long row, when the bough would bend with the added weight and 

 "down would come rockaby baby and all." 



At some sudden alarm there would be a loud swish of wings, and ris- 

 ing in great black clouds the buzzards would float gracefully about for 

 some minutes, then, presto, the waving green palm leaves would be- 

 come waving lines of black. 



We leave for home to-morrow, so I shall soon see you again. 



Your Loving Sister, 

 Ruth. 



GLEANINGS. 



With what dear and ravishing sweetness sang the plaintive thrush. 



I love to hear his delicate rich voice 



Chanting through all the glooming day, 



When loud amid the trees is dropping the big rain. 



And gray mists wrap the hills: 



For aye the sweeter his song is when the day is sad and dark. 



Longfellow. 



