BIRD RESERVATIONS 



covered with floating plants that Greene called 

 "wild lettuce." These appeared to be uniform in size, 

 and presented an absolutely level surface except in 

 a few places where slight elevations indicated the 

 presence of inquisitive alligators, whose gray eyes 

 we knew were watching our movements through the 

 lettuce leaves. 



Although the swamp was unpleasant under foot, 

 we had but to raise our eyes to behold a world of 

 beauty. The purple blossoms of air plants, and the 

 delicate petals of other orchids greeted us every- 

 where. From the boughs overhead long streamers 

 of gray Spanish moss waved and beckoned in the 

 breeze. Still higher, on gaunt branches of giant cy- 

 presses a hundred feet above our heads, great, grotes- 

 que Wood I bises were standing on their nests, or taking 

 flight for their feeding grounds a dozen miles south- 

 ward. 



We were now fairly in the midst of an immense 

 bird city, and some of the inhabitants were veritable 

 giants in the bird world. The body of a Wood Ibis 

 [207] 



