DEAD WILLOW BEND. 147 



then during the past century this tree has replaced oth- 

 ers, which are now less abundant than formerly. 



Again, he says : " The beaver - tree grows in the 

 swamps. It was now (June 1st) in flower, and the fra- 

 grancy of its blossoms had so perfumed the air that one 

 could enjoy it before one approached the swamps ; and 

 this fine smell likewise showed that a beaver-tree was 

 near us, though we often happened not to see it." Prob- 

 ably this tree was much more abundant two centuries 

 ago, and even when Kalm wrote, than now. In many 

 local documents I have found that the term " beaver- 

 tree swamp " was used as descriptive of such localities ; 

 which leads me to conclude that magnolias were promi- 

 nent trees in such situations. They certainly are not 

 so at present. 



The bare and slender branches of the dead willow 

 were now casting their longest shadows, and bade me 

 seek a safe landing for my boat promptly, if I would 

 not be benighted ; for once on shore, there were four 

 miles of meadows to be trudged over before I could lift 

 the latch of my door-yard gate. 



It quite often happens that when the naturalist is 

 intently engaged with one object, another, wholly un- 

 expected, forces itself upon his attention. A captive 

 serpent may disgorge a frog, or a wounded heron vomit 

 a fish ; and so, this evening, while anxiously seeking for 

 some sufficiently large and dense growth wherein to run 

 my boat, I happened upon a black snake in a cluster of 

 button - bushes, and much to my surprise, it " showed 

 fight." 



