Vermont Botanical and Bird Clubs 27 



A few days after I arrived at my temporary southern home an old 

 friend came and lingered long. It was phoebe. Her wilted look, 

 flirted tail and reiterated cry made certain my identification. 



Of course, the mocking birds were eagerly looked for and listened 

 to. They were always about the house and heard at all hours — before 

 we were up in the morning and again in the ^heat of the day when the 

 mercury was as high as 84. The song reminded me of our northern 

 catbird when he is at his best. As Mrs. Doubleday says in "Bird 

 Neighbors": "This is the angel that the catbird was before he fell 

 from grace." 



Woodpeckers were common, the one we call flicker being the most 

 familiar. They are seen working on the ground among orange trees. 

 Query, was it ants that they dug up? 



On February 9, a 45-mile automobile ride to Tampa to visit the 

 South Florida fair gave us our opportunity to see some birds and 

 plants. A flock of blackbirds was noticed. At the fair, in addition to 

 a great display of common poultry, there were pheasants, peacocks 

 with brilliant plumage, as well as ducks and geese. On the way back 

 we stopped near a swamp while some of the party visited a market 

 garden to secure cabbage, strawberries and beets. The place was full 

 of birds, many in song, but we could not see them. 



Later, while spending a few days in Tampa, we took an enjoyable 

 ride to St. Petersburg. Gulls followed the steamer and we also saw 

 pelicans, buzzards and a loon. It was interesting to watch the pelicans 

 from a wharf at St. Petersburg. They would catch fish readily, but 

 it required some time to swallow one, owing to the journey via the 

 bill and long neck. My attention was called to the "woolly head." 

 The pelicans there were mostly grey, but we saw one that had a white 

 breast. On the return boat it was enjoyable to watch the gulls which 

 followed for the food that was thrown to them. They would take 

 pieces from each other and if a choice morsel sank beneath the water 

 a bird was sure to dive for it. 



The last night I was in Auburndale we were invited to a country 

 house. While we were at supper one of the ladies spoke of chuck 

 will's widow which was singing near. Although the bird is closely 

 allied to our whip-poor-will, the song is different. 



It was easier to observe the vegetable than the animal life because, 

 as plants remain stationary, we could go time after time to see a cer- 

 tain thing. Much pleasure was derived from the cultivated groves 



