LETTEES FEOM ALABAMA. 19 
colours. Still, even here there is defornlity ; these 
heauties had the advantage of a foil in the visage 
of the cat-fish, {Bilurus catus^ Linn.) a monster of 
remarkably hideous aspect ; and in some young 
sharks, which could not resist the temptation of a 
baited hook. 
For myself, I cannot say I very deeply regretted 
the delay of our progress, caused by the unpropi- 
tious wind ; for I entertained hopes, if the rain 
should abate, to have the gratification of ransacking 
these little isles, which lay so green and so tan- 
talizing, at about a quarter of a mile distant, just 
near enough to awaken without gratifying curiosity. 
But the next morning the sun shone gloriously, 
and the wind continuing in statu quo^ even our un- 
imaginative, matter-of-fact captain, proposed to 
row ashore, and take a peep at Cayo Boca ; and I 
warmly seconded his proposition. 
We rowed for a long beach of white sand, and 
immediately on landing, I ran with eagerness into 
the bushes armed with my insect-net. I expected 
to behold a gorgeous display of bright-winged 
tropical insects, and to make a rich harvest, to 
provide for which I had loaded myself with boxes. 
To my disappointment, however, insects were by 
no means abundant; probably owing to the peculiar 
nature of the vegetation, which consisted almost 
wholly of bushes having thick saline leaves, of 
which there might be a dozen varieties, and a few 
sedges. The soil was nothing but sand, composed 
of minute fragments of shells and corals ; on close 
examination, I could not discover a particle of 
anything else : a great part of the island was 
overflowed by the sea. I saw Vanessa orithya and 
a little brown Hesperia — these were the only 
c 2 
