248 VISIT TO ST. SIMON S. [CHAP. XVIII. 



in plumage, though not so brilliant as the English kingfisher, 

 which yet lingers, in spite of persecution, in the reedy islands of 

 the Thames above London. Mr. Couper tells rne, that the 

 American bird dives after its prey, like that of Europe, and will 

 often carry a fish, not much smaller than itself, and beat it 

 against the stump of a tree, first on one side, then on the other, 

 till every bone in its body is broken ; it can then swallow it. in 

 spite of its size. 



A few days after our arrival (January 4, 1846), Mr. Couper 

 took us in a canoe down the river from Hopeton to one of the 

 sea-islands, called St. Simon s, fifteen miles distant, to visit his 

 summer residence, and to give me an opportunity of exploring 

 the geology of the coast and adjoining low country. We saw, 

 on the banks of the river, the Magnolia glauca, attaining a 

 height of thirty feet, instead- of being only ten feet high, as in 

 the swamps of New England. The gum tree (Nyssa aquatica), 

 out of leaf at this season, was conspicuous, from the manner in 

 which the smooth trunk swells out at the base, being partially 

 hollow in the interior, so that it is often used by the negroes 

 for bee-hives. Jays and blue-birds were very abundant, and 

 there were several large hawks nests on the tops of tall dead 

 trees. 



Among the zoological characteristics of the North American 

 rivers, none is more remarkable than the variety of species of 

 shells of the genus Unio, or fresh- water mussel, which inhabit 

 them. Every great stream yields some new forms, and Mr. 

 Couper has already discovered in the Altamaha no less than 

 sixteen species before unknown ; one of these, Unio spinoszis, 

 has a singular appearance, being armed with spines, standing 

 out horizontally from the shell, and probably acting as a defense 

 against some enemy. 



On our way we landed on Butler s Island, where the banks 

 of the river, as is usual in deltas, are higher than the ground 

 immediately behind them. They are here adorned with orange 

 trees, loaded with golden fruit, and very ornamental. We saw 

 ricks of rice raised on props five feet high, to protect them from 

 the sea, which, during hurricanes, has been known to rise five or 



