An Evening with Birds in Florida 17 



Doves in twos and threes, or singly, are now hurrying to the island. The 

 early ones hunted roosting-places in the live oaks, but those that come now 

 simply drop into the short grass or squat on the mud by the water, their wings 

 whistling as they hover for an instant. Killdeer Plover suddenly cry out from 

 the direction of the flats. One comes to the Island and settles there with con- 

 tented little noises; another, hunting him, circles with plaintive calls and then 

 returns to the flats. 



In the water beside the boat appears a little Grebe. He is startled and 

 dives, leaving scarcely a ripple. Other Grebes are diving among the sedges 

 where the bass are chasing minnows and the frogs are croaking. Nearer to the 

 boat are several hylas, piping away as they do farther north in April. As if in 

 answer to their call, there comes a harsh cry, and over the water flops a Great 

 Blue Heron, followed some distance behind by its mate. The Herons alight in 

 the shallow water near the Island, stand awhile stiffly erect, watching for 

 enemies, and then lower their heads for the evening hunt. 



Xow Is the time for the Ducks to come tcj roost in the partly submerged 

 sedge clumps. The sun has gone, and only the red glow remains. Against this 

 there soon appear black specks high over the trees. They grow rapidly larger. 

 There is a whistle of wings, a roar of water as they alight, and there, near the 

 .sedge clumps, are a dozen Black Ducks, quacking to each other in truly barn- 

 yard fashion. Others swing in from the same direction, and all swim into the 

 shadow of the water-weeds. 



Now and then a pair of Wood Ducks ajmes from the wesh If the drake sees 

 the boat, he gives a warning cry which other drakes already in the sedge clumps 

 repeat and the Killdeer Plover echo. The .sounds die down. Is the fun over? 

 No I With swishing wings and startled quacks seven Mallards stop themselves 

 in the act of alighting beside the boat. Probably they had been disturbed in 

 some other roosting-place and had come too late to see clearly. Now they skim 

 away to .some other lake, leaving behind them a feather or two floating on the^ 

 ■vater. 



Surely now it is time to leave. A Barred Owl is h(X)ting in the wfx>ds, Screech 

 OwLs and night-loving flying squirrels have spotted the boat from the edge of 

 the hummock and are noisy in their disapproval; but something more is wing- 

 ing its way over the water. In the almost vanished glow it dips and circles 

 until almost overhead — a bat. 



