Following Audubon among the Florida Keys 
Then we hastened to the island. Sev- 
eral reddish egrets—the only ones met 
with on the trip—started out from the 
trees close beside us, as did some Lou- 
isiana herons. The island itself was en- 
tirely under water, and the trees were 
white with filth. But even here the elu- 
sive men-o’-war were not yet nesting. 
The Louisiana herons had eggs, and there 
were about a dozen rude, empty nests of 
sticks, lined with some frigate feathers, 
just like what these birds are said to build; 
yet they may have belonged to cormo- 
rants. The man-o’-war bird is not now 
known to nest in Florida, and we had 
hoped to be able to re-discover this fact, 
to which Audubon was witness. Since 
these birds are said by the guide—a care- 
ful and accurate observer—to remain here 
in immense numbers throughout the en- 
tire year, and as they are known to breed 
very late, I am confident that a visit to 
some of these roosts in June or July would 
find the host settled down to family cares 
—and what a sight it would be! 
On the way back to the vessel, a pair of 
the exquisite pink roseate spoonbills flew 
close over our heads, giving me a splendid 
yh) 
and memorable view of their glories. Alas 
for the delaying naturalists! The birds 
did not return that night to the roost, and 
next morning a single straggler mocked 
the camera of the delinquents. 
All along on the cruise we had watched 
longingly and carefully for a sight of the 
great rosy flamingoes feeding on the mud- 
flats. That pleasure was not for us. 
Small bands of the wary creatures are yet 
seen in this region, mostly in fall and 
winter. Our guide saw the last bunch in 
early April, before we arrived. 
Audubon, describing his cruise among 
the keys at this same season of the year, 
speaks of the intense heat and of the ne- 
cessity of a fish and cracker diet. Our ex- 
perience was that the temperature was 
very equable, with fine cool nights, ideal 
weather for living and sleeping out- 
doors—very different from the heat of 
the interior of Florida. We enjoyed a 
hearty and varied fare without any ill 
effect. Indeed, it would be hard to recall 
a more enjoyable outing in all my expe- 
rience than following the great pioneer 
of American ornithology among the keys 
of Florida. 
~ diene en eee) 
5 *T o>) 
ecm ha 
bs es 
« IS as ey 
The Schooner Maggie Valdez. 
