THE FLORIDA KEYS 45 



from any interference during their nesting season. 

 This graceful little bird was formerly abundant 

 along the Atlantic coast but is now becoming 

 quite scarce. We were told that this is their only 

 breeding place on the Lower Keys. 



If, geologically speaking, Sand Key is an island 

 born to-day there are others in the chain which 

 are only just hatching. Western, Middle, and 

 Eastern Sambo, lying east and south of Key West 

 are such. So indeed is Looe Key, to the south of 

 Ramrod Key, and also belonging to the outer reef. 

 As yet these possess no vegetation whatever and 

 the sea still breaks over them in heavy storms. 

 At some distance out in the Hawk Channel in the 

 vicinity of Key West is an incipient third reef 

 lying within the outer one, and belonging to this 

 are the Middle Ground, Washerwoman, Missis- 

 sippi, and other shoals which are doubtless under- 

 going the process of being formed into keys. 



This, then, is nature's workshop for the making 

 of islands, in which can be traced every process 

 from the first coral polyp that attaches itself 

 to the bottom and starts an incipient reef to the 

 completed island raised well above the highest 

 normal tide; or, from a tiny bar of mud or sand 



