Oct. 12, 1912 
FOREST AND STREAM 
455 
Gulf and also tend to protect the island from 
overflow in times of high water, or southern 
storms. 
The south side of the island is a high sand 
ridge, unbroken except at one point toward its 
easterly ends, but on the north side, the marsh 
is cut by a multitude of bayous, leads and 
waterways, many of which, some miles above 
their mouths, expand into large ponds, most 
of them quite shallow and reported to abound 
in certain favorite duck foods, such as wild 
potatoes, wild celery, duck grass and other 
foods. 
If one crosses the island on foot from 
south to north, he will pass over several belts 
of differing marsh—marsh suited for different 
kinds of birds. To the south, on the Gulf side, 
is a smooth shelving sand beach, and north of 
this a sand ridge, from ten to fifteen feet high, 
timbered toward the westerly end of the island 
with a few great live oaks. This sand ridge is 
highest to the west, and less conspicuous to¬ 
ward the east. North of this is a belt of dry 
marsh, the chief feeding ground of the cattle 
ranging on the island at that time, of which 
there were 1,800 or 2.000. North of this dry 
marsh is a belt of wet, oozy fresh marsh on 
which the water gradually deepens toward the 
south, until finally one comes to a series of 
fresh water pools, very shallow, where the water 
stands only a few inches deep. These shallow 
IN THE DUCK MARSH. 
fresh pools drain into a series of brackish lakes, 
still to the north, from which a number of 
bayous lead out to Vermilion Bay. North of 
these brackish lakes is again dry marsh, cut in 
all directions by salt water leads and bayous, 
which in their winding courses often enlarge 
into wide shallow ponds or lakes. 
It is evident that such a series of marshes 
with their interlacing waters, should—so long 
as food is abundant—furnish ideal feeding and 
resting grounds for many sorts of waterfowl. 
Different species of shore birds feed along the 
outer beach, Wilson snipe and rail of different 
kinds are abundant in the fresh marsh. Many 
mallards, black mallards, and Florida ducks 
live in the wet marsh, and most of those seen 
were already paired. A few small flocks of 
blue geese were seen on the marsh and some 
flocks flying over, among which were a few 
snow geese. 
The wet fresh marsh—the third belt back 
from the mouth—showed every sign of being 
