148 FLORIDA BIRD-LIFE 



of the afternoon, a Spoonbill and two Snowy Egrets roosted 

 in the same tree with me. Surely this was an honor these 

 rarest of American birds have accorded few ornithologists. 

 It was almost dark when I left the rookery but birds were 

 still returning to it, and with the air of one who had waited 

 with a purpose, Roberts said that " Long Whites " would 

 come back as late as nine o'clock. 



Cuthbert Rookery should be preserved, both because it 

 is a fine example of a type of communal bird-life, for 

 which Florida was once distinguished, and because it will 

 be the last refuge for several species of birds, which, with- 

 out such protection will shortly become extinct in the United 

 States. The task, however, would require the employment 

 of two wardens for at least four months of each year, and 

 it should be undertaken only when it is assured that through 

 lack of funds or for otber reasons, the plumers would not 

 eventually reap the results. 



Spoonbills flew overhead ' 



