A RACE WITH A WATERSPOUT. 77 



The key was entirely destitute of trees, a lit- 

 tle grass constituting its flora, while its sole in- 

 habitants were hermit and other crabs. At the 

 north end it was joined to Bush Key by a partly 

 submerged flat, and here, on an apology for an 

 island, grew several mangroves that gave shelter 

 to various pelican nests.* 



The party was soon ashore at Long Key, se- 

 lecting many beautiful specimens from the num- 

 berless richly colored weeds and shells strewed 

 along the sand. The univalves, or one-shelled 

 specimens, were the most numerous, but upon 

 the pieces of gorgonia many delicate bivalves of 

 exquisite red and blue tiuts were found. 



The severity of the storm was evident in the 

 numbers of strange objects piled upon the beach. 

 A narrow white band, extending almost as far 

 as the eye could see, was found to be composed 

 almost wholly of the shells of the little Spirula, 

 one of the most beautiful and delicate of the 

 cephalopods. It was a perfect spiral, divided 

 like the nautilus into chambers, with pearly par- 



* Since the time of my residence here Long and Bush Keys have 

 been almost entirely obliterated by a hurricane. — Author,. 



