22 
BIRDS OF THE BAHAMA ISLANDS. 
three species. On Norman’s Key, wild hogs are abundant, and afford 
good sport ; but dogs are required to hunt them successfully. Cattle 
were at one time also found here, but of late years none have been 
seen. Among these keys sponges are very plentiful, and are much 
sought after by the negroes ; hardly a day passed without our meet- 
ing one or more of their small boats. In gathering the sponges, the 
negroes use an instrument resembling an eel-spear, having a strong 
iron prong attached to the end of a stout pole, with which they 
detach the sponges from the rocks. They also use a “ water-glass,” 
a simple construction, made in the shape of an oblong box, one end 
being closed by a pane of glass, leaving the other end open. By 
holding the glass end submerged, small objects can easily be seen 
at the depth of fifteen or twenty feet. Many of the negroes are very 
expert divers, and descend thirty-five or forty feet, and often much 
deeper, in search of the finer qualities of sponges, which are only 
to be found in deep water. Although sharks are very numerous 
the negroes do not seem to mind them in the least, and enter the 
water anywhere with perfect impunity. 
We had expected to find water-birds very abundant, but were 
disappointed. Marsh -birds were also scarce, although the long 
beaches and numerous marshes seemed to offer excellent feeding, 
grounds. We procured a few scattered birds of different species, 
but were not sorry when one morning, a few days later, finding birds 
as scarce as ever, and having a fair wind, we turned our backs 
on the keys and directed our course for Andros, that much-talked-of 
but little-known island. 
