176 THE STORY OF A BIRD LOVER 



Here I was much more fortunate than at Withla- 

 coochee in obtaining sympathy and assistance 

 from the natives of the region. The conchs par- 

 ticularly proved efficient as guides and hunters. 

 Two members of one family were in my con- 

 stant employ, and were known respectively as the 

 " high conch with the red beard," and the " little 

 low chunky conch." The name " conch " is given 

 to natives of the Bahama Islands or the Florida 

 Keys. They are so called because of their alleged 

 use of the conch as food. 



Dr. Powledge not only ministered to the 

 spiritual and temporal needs of his neighbors in 

 his capacity as deacon and physician, but had 

 also the only store of the region. Everything 

 could be purchased, from gunpowder to furni- 

 ture, from medicine to musical instruments, from 

 clothes to Bibles. 



In my traffic with the hunters who brought me 

 various specimens of birds for my collection, the 

 prices paid were insignificant, fifteen cents being 

 perhaps the maximum. In the course of a few 

 weeks I may have spent a sum in small coin 

 aggregating some twenty dollars. This all went 

 back into the till of the good deacon, who, in his 

 turn, would cash a check for me, or change a bill 

 into the dimes and nickels which furnished the 

 medium of barter, and the " endless chain " was 

 maintained throughout my visit. On my de- 



