Z Zi \ YS A II AS AC SS SS \\\ ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY NEW York STATE COLLEGES OF AGRICULTURE AND HoME ECONOMICS AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY aa University Library SK 65.C83 Hunting and fishing in Florida, including AT Cornell University The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924003426024 Verte, avid “Veep wy Via y HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA, INCLUDING A KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS KNOWN TO OCCUR IN THE STATE. BY F : iN CHARLES B. CORY. Curator of the Department of Ornithology in the Field Columbian Museum, Chicago; Fellow of the Linnzan and Zodlogical Societies of London; Member of the American Ornithologists’ Union ; of the British Ornithologists’ Union; Honorary Member of the California Academy of Sciences, etc., etc. AUTHOR OF “THE BEAUTIFUL AND CuRIOUS BIRDS OF THE WORLD,” ‘THE Birps OF THE BAHAMA ISLANDs,” “THE BIRDS OF HAITI AND SAN DominGo,” “THE BIRDS OF THE WEST INDIES,” “A NATu- RALIST IN THE MAGDALEN ISLANDS,” etc., etc. FOR SALE BY ESTES & LAURIAT, BOSTON, MASS. 1896. A.R56414 Copyright, 1895, by ~ CHARLES B. CORY, Boston, Mass. THE BARTA PRESS, BOSTON. TO MY WIFE, WHO HAS OFTEN SHARED WITH ME THE PLEASURES AND TRIALS OF CAMP LIFE, THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED. PREFACE. Mucu of the matter contained in the following pages was written in the field and covers a period of some ten winters in Florida, a great deal of the time being passed in out-of-the-way localities while studying the fauna of the State. The illustrations are, with few exceptions, from photographs taken by myself; the principal ex- ceptions being the photographs of the tarpon, which were obtained through the kindness of Mr. George Mixter, of Boston. The picture of the manatee and the illustrations in the ‘‘ Key to the Water Birds ” are the work of Mr. Edward Knobel, of Boston. The nomenclature and classification used in the Key is that adopted by the American Ornithologists’ Union. I have aimed to make the ‘* Key to the Water Birds” one which would enable a person unfamiliar with birds to identify any Florida species without difficulty. Before using the key the reader should carefully read the ‘‘ Introduction to the Key” and make him- self familiar with the terms used in describing birds; the general rules for measurements, etc. With few exceptions, the species given have been taken or ob- served by myself during my various trips to Florida, but several are included on the authority of others, and I have freely availed myself of information obtained from the following works and papers : — ‘« History of North American Birds,” by Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway; ‘‘ Manual of North American Birds,” by Robert Ridg- way; ‘* Key to North American Birds,” by Elliot Coues; ‘* Birds of Eastern North America,” by C. J. Maynard; ‘* Handbook of the Birds of Eastern North America,” by F. M. Chapman; ‘Notes on the Birds of the Caloosahatchee Region of Florida,” by W. E. D. Scott (Auk Vol. IX., pp. 209-218). 4 PREFACE, ‘On the Mammals and Winter Birds of East Florida,” by J. A. Allen (Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., II., 1871, pp. 168-185 ); «* Catalogue of the Mammals of Florida,” by C. J. Maynard (Bull. Essex Inst., IV., 1872, pp. 135-148) ; ‘* The Mammals of Florida,” by C.J. May- nard (Quart. Journ. Bost. Zool. Society, II., 1883, pp. 1-8, 17-24, 38-43, 49, 50); ‘* Contributions to the Mammalogy of Florida,” by Samuel N. Rhoads (Proc. Acad. Nat. Science, Philadelphia, 1894, pp. 152-160) ; ‘* A Monograph of the Bats of North America,” by Harrison Allen, 1893; ‘‘ Remarks on Certain Land Mammals from Florida, with a List of the Species Known to Occur in the State,” by Frank M. Chapman (Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., VI., 1894, pp. 333-346) ; ‘*Kurse Notizen uber die hohere Fauna Floridas,” von Dr. Einar Lonnberg, Upsala, Sweden, 1894. I have also consulted the following works relating to the Florida Indians: ‘* The Seminole Indians of Florida,” by Clay MacCauley, and ‘* Archives of Aboriginal Knowledge,” by H. R. Schoolcraft. CHARLES B. CORY. CONTENTS. PREFACE . INTRODUCTION THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. Manners and Customs Green Corn Dance Clothing and Ornaments Method of Hunting Location of Villages Seminole History Vocabulary THE FLORIDA PANTHER A PANTHER Hunt THE BLACK BEAR DEER ALLIGATORS AND CROCODILES. Alligators . Crocodiles TURKEYS TARPON FISHING HUNTING GROUNDS OF FLORIDA THE MAMMALS OF FLORIDA REMARKS ON SOME OF THE FLORIDA SNAKES KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA Introduction to Bird Key Measurements Glossary PAGE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. “ GAFFING” A TARPON A “POINT” ON QUAIL Tom ... . ROBIN AND PRINCE * POINTING ” QUAIL ROBIN AND PRINCE Duck SHOOTING WITH DECOYS A Bic Bac WILpD Ducks WILp CAT CLIMBING A TREE WILbD Car AFTER A WILD CAT LARGE WILD CAT RACCOON An UNFAIR FIGHT OPOSSUM A GREAT DAY FOR KINGFISH THORNTON’S CAMP, HILLSBORO RIVER THE OLD Pump THE EDGE OF THE EVERGLADES A SAND HILL CRANE’S NEST DEAD SHARK, NEW RIVER INLET THE MIAMI RIVER RAPIDS MIAMI RIVER RATTLESNAKE ABOUT TO STRIKE RATTLESNAKE PREPARING TO STRIKE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA 92, 123 99 IOI 102 125 126 I41 to 297 INTRODUCTION. My first hunting experience in Florida dates back to the year 1877, and I have since spent ten winters in the State, much of the time being devoted to exploring out-of-the-way nooks and corners which were then visited by but few people, and it was a journey ot several days to places which, since the advent of railroads, may now be reached in as many hours. Lake Okeechobee is now no longer difficult of access and many people visit it every year from Kissimmee and Fort Myers. From Jacksonville to the Indian River, which but a few years ago was a three days’ journey, may now be done by rail in a few hours. Although Florida is now annually visited by thousands instead of hundreds of people, as was the case a few years ago, there is still a vast extent of country which is practically a wilderness and where game is yet to be found in great abundance ; and the magnificent winter climate of Florida adds much to the en- joyment of the hunter or fisherman. Many there are who look with disfavor upon him who with rifle and hound wanders into the wilderness to hunt and kill wild animals. To such an one I-would say, ‘* Chacque un a son gouté.” If he be a man, with a man’s health and strength, his hand steady and his eye clear, let him go with me and camp for a week on the bank of some unnamed lake in the Florida wilderness, where the panther, bear, and deer wander undisturbed. Let ‘him breathe the fresh morning air full of the smell of the pines, and listen to the chorus of the hounds as they dash away in full cry on the hot trail of something that can fight as well as run. I warrant you his pulse will quicken as he forces his way into some thicket where the dogs hold a bear or a panther at bay. Perhaps many of us have a trace of the savage left in us yet, but I believe the boy who loves the woods will gain much in health and manhood; and it is pleasant to think 7 8 INTRODUCTION. that when we are gone those that come after us may wander where we have wandered, may camp where we have camped, and use the gun or the rod as well or better than we have used it, knowing that they will go back to their fellows and the cares of life better in mind and body for the experience. As Isaac Walton tells us, it was one of the qualifications that Xenophon bestowed on Cyrus, ‘‘ that he was a hunter of wild beasts,” and the love of the chase seems to be as strong with many of us now as then. As we grow older, however, most of us lose some- thing of our desire to kill game. Our love for the woods seems to increase rather than diminish and we see many new and beautiful things in the wilderness which we did not see when we were younger ; but we shrink from killing a bird or mammal unless we actually need it for food or study. Many a flock of quail or ducks I have watched feeding without disturbing them, and many a deer I have stalked, and perhaps photo- graphed, and then watched it from my concealment until, discover- ing my presence, it bounded away unharmed. It should be a rule with every true sportsman never to kill more game than can be properly used. Of course, with a number of men in camp, what appears to be a large bag is often not more than is actually needed for food. On several occasions I have made large bags when some of the men in camp were going to spend a holiday with their families and wished to take home some birds; but the wanton and useless slaughter of game cannot be too strongly condemned. THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. Amone the Seminole Indians in Florida exist certain tribal organi- zations or clans known as ‘‘ gens,” which comprise families and their unmarried relatives. In the old days these gens were well known; but at the present time many of them have either become extinct or their members are so few and scattered that they are no longer recognized. These gens were known under various names, such as Tiger, Deer, Bear, Wind, and many others, the members of the same “ gen” not being’ allowed to intermarry. A Seminole Indian rarely kills more game than he can use; if he does not need the meat, he either sells it or cures it for future use, the venison being cut into strips which are smoked slightly over the camp.tire and afterwards dried by the sun.. An Indian camp fire will burn for a long time and consume comparatively little wood. A number of logs are arranged ina circle with their ends together, somewhat resembling the spokes of a wheel; the fire is lighted in the center where the ends meet, and when the fire is no longer needed the logs are drawn apart and it immediately dies down: but the charred ends may easily be ignited again when required. This fire is an admirable one for camp cooking, as it is compara- tively small and easily regulated. The camp fire is rarely allowed to go out, a pot of sofkee or stewed meat generally being kept warm, especially in a camp where there are many children. ‘¢ Sofkee” isa kind of soup made from ground corn or hominy and corn mixed. It is eaten with large wooden spoons which the Indians manufacture and which are called sofkee spoons. These they hand 9 Io HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. from one to the other as they sit about the pot, each drinking a ladleful before passing it on to the next. Another favorite food is called “¢kumpty ” or * coontie.” The ** coontie” flour is made from the root SEMINOLE CAMP FIRE, of a plant which grows in the dry, sandy lands of South Florida and is very plentiful in some localities. The root of the plant alone is used. This is first carefully peeled and washed, after which it is thrown into a THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. It large wooden vessel or trough, where it is ground and pounded into a powder; this powder is then carefully washed, and after repeated washing becomes very white and clean. If it is not entirely free from dirt upon being wet it assumes a pale pinkish color, but if thoroughly cleansed it remains perfectly white. This is called ‘* coontie” by the Indians, and is prepared much in the same manner as we use cornstarch or arrowroot. It is sometimes mixed with wheat flour and made into cakes, which when fried are very palatable. The seeds of the kumpty plant are contained in a cone having the general appearance of a pine cone about to sprout. They resem- ble kernels of corn, but are larger and flatter and of an orange-red color. . The Indian does little in the way of farming. He clears small hummocks and plants corn, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and some- times raises a little maize; in some of the camps he has bananas growing and a few orange or lemon trees, but, as a rule, he raises barely enough to supply himself and family a part of the year. I have been unable to learn anything definite of the Indian laws regarding punishment of crime. That they do have such laws is known. Years ago Old Charlie was condemned to have the upper portion of his ears cut off and was banished for one year from the tribe under penalty of death if he returned. He is one of the nicest old Indians of the lot, but lost his ears for ‘‘ talking too much,” as the Indians say. Upon the death of an Indian the body is clothed in a new shirt, and usually a handkerchief is tied around the neck and a new turban put about the head. Sometimes the face is painted, usually with a round spot on each cheek. A piece of burnt wood is placed in the left hand and a bow and one arrow is usually buried with him. When the place for burial is selected the ground is prepared in the following manner: A floor of palmetto logs is built some seven feet long by three feet wide, over which a roof of palmetto leaves is con- structed. The body is placed in this small house, the feet, it is THE SOFKEE-SPOON. 12 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. claimed, being always placed toward the East. The body is usually wrapped in a blanket and covered with logs, forming a kind of box with the palmetto leaf roof over it. A fire is built at the end of the tomb, which is renewed at sunset for three days, and lighted torches waved about for a few moments to frighten away the ‘‘bad birds.” After the third day the fires are allowed to go out. In talking with Old Charlie and Osceola about the mounds which are so common in Flor- ida, I asked who made them, and they answered, ‘¢Injuns all dead. One old chief tell me long time ’g0, Injuns came in canoe, eat oysters, play ball.” Old Charlie said the Indians were not Semi- noles. Most of the Indians have but one wife, but two at least, Old Charlie and Old Doctor, have two. I have been told that Old Doctor was pre- sented with a second wife by his tribe, in recognition of his ser- vices to his brother Indians in killing a negro half-breed named Key-West Billy. This half-breed came back to his tribe and demanded in marriage one of the Indian girls. It is claimed that, upon being refused, he BARFOTARTSO. ‘* OLD CHARLIE.”’ THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. 13 immediately shot several persons, including a woman. This was objected to by Old Doctor, who happened to be present, and he in turn shot Billy, killing him instantly. Indians rarely talk much and do not like to answer questions. It GART-SUM-E-TEL-E-KEE. ROBERT OSCEOLA. is only after being for some time in their company and gaining their confidence that they will talk freely about anything connected with themselves. The Indians tan the skins of the animals which they kill by 14 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. carefully scraping them and working them in their hands until they become soft and pliable. They also use the brains of the animal for softening and curing the skin. The leggings which they wear are sometimes dyed a very rich mahogany brown by soaking the skin in an infusion of mangrove bark. The bark is boiled for several hours; the skin is then im- mersed in the liquid for half an hour. It is then taken out and dried in the sun until it is merely moist, although it will not do to let it get entirely dry. It is then immersed a second time for about half an hour, and upon being taken out and dried it is ready for use. The brain-tanned skin, which has not been dyed, becomes very hard and stiff when wet unless it is continually worked over and kept soft by manipulation, but skins which have been prepared by tan- ning with mangrove bark are very little affected by rain, and make very pretty leggings and moccasins. It is rare that the Seminoles ornament their moccasins with beads, and I have seen but two pairs of moccasins made in this manner ; one I procured from Old Doctor, who brought them into Lantana just as I was coming out from a hunting expedition. The old man was anxious to dispose of them to get money to buy whisky. They were neatly ornamented with lines of beads. Old Doctor was one of the Indians that took part in the last war. He is still hale and hearty and does not like a white man any better than he ever did. I have asked a number of Indians regarding their antidote for snake poison, and have been told by two or three different ones with whom I was well acquainted that they had no antidote for the bite of the rattlesnake. Both Osceola and Old Charlie had no reason for deceiving me, as they told me many things about their manners and customs, and often evinced their good feelings toward me by making me presents of sweet potatoes, eggs, and venison. Osceola’s wife was once bitten by a moccasin, and I am told that the wound did not heal for nearly a year, and at times she was troubled with fever, which may or may not have been the result of the bite. At many of the camps the Indians now keep hens and pigs. In THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. 15 moving from one camp to another they take the pigs about with them. One or two of the Indians have an old wagon and some very diminutive horses. | Osceola has two perfectly white horses, strong, hardy little animals, which draw about an old wagon when he moves from place to place. Usually, the squaws and pappooses ride in the wagon, while the men walk, and the pigs are tied underneath or else led by a squaw. It was at one time customary for hunting parties to wander some distance to the north and to the south of their present settlements, and MOVING CAMP. * the remains of old Indian camps may be found to the extreme south- east point of Florida; but none were observed on the southwest por- tion of the State below White Water Bay. The costume of an Indian in camp usually consists of a cotton 16 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. shirt. The women wear a cotton dress embroidered with many pieces of colored calico. The young children run about naked until they arrive at the age of eight or ten years, when they are given a cotton shirt. Sometimes the small children wear some sort of covering during the cold weather. The Indians visit each other a great deal. Many of those living on New River go to the Big Cypress every year, usually to attend the Green Corn Dance and visit their relatives. GREEN CORN DANCE. THE annual festival known as the Green Corn Dance is still ob- served by the Indians, but it is not conducted with the same cere- mony as in bygone years. In the old days the Green Corn Dance or ‘‘ Busk” was an occa- sion of great importance with the Creek tribe. It then occupied seven or eight days, but is now reduced to four or at most five days. It takes place during the second week in June or during the ‘little moon in June,” as the Indians say. It is very difficult to obtain from the Indians a description of this dance. From time to time they would answer a few questions, but if pressed for information they immediately become reticent. The dance usually lasts four days, according to the statement of most of the Indians, although some claim that it is decided by the medi- cine man whether it shall last four or five days. Two weeks previous to the day of the dance notice is sent by Indian messengers to the different clans and villages stating the date of the ceremony. They keep account of the days which intervene by hanging up a number of small sticks representing the days, and one is taken down each day. When the last one is thrown away they repair to the point selected for the feast. On the evening of the first day the ceremony of taking the ‘‘ black drink” occurs. It is believed that unless one drinks of this he will be ‘sick ”” after eating the green corn. It is not as carefully carried out as in the old days, and I do not understand that the fire is now THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. 17 lighted by rubbing two sticks together. At the present time the fire is started by the medicine man, and the squaws are not allowed to come near the fire, which is still reserved, as in ancient days, for the warriors who drink the black drink. In building this fire they place the sticks pointed to the four points of the compass, and, in fact, the Indians at all times arrange their logs by placing all the ends together, somewhat resembling the spokes of a wheel, which is probably a traditional method of build- ing a fire, possibly originated by the ceremony of the Green Corn Dance or Busk. The Indian women attach strings of turtle shells filled with peb- bles (seven on each string) to their legs. While the dancing goes on the women stamp about, rattling these shells, keeping time with the dancers. I have never seen a white man who has attended a Green Corn Dance, but I have been told there are several who have done so, although it is claimed they have not been allowed to remain during the entire celebration. The dance usually lasts from four to five days. ‘The first day they do a great deal of dancing, which is car- ried on far into the night. When one Indian becomes tired another takes his place, and sometimes a half a dozen or more dance together. After this the dancing is intermittent. The second day the young men go out and bring in game for the feast; the third and fourth days are spent in feasting and drinking. This is the official pro- gram, but I am afraid the affair is not always conducted according to established custom, as nowadays the white man’s whisky plays an important part in the celebration. This is totally at variance with the ancient custom as practised by the Indians a century ago, when the dancing and jollity did not commence until the fourth day. In those days things were decidedly different and the affair was conducted with great ceremony. All offenses were forgiven on the occasion of this festival, which took place early in August instead of June, as it does now (perhaps on account of the country inhabited by the tribe being so much farther north and the corn ripening later). On the morning of the first day the medicine man, dressed 18 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. with white leather moccasins and leggings and a white deerskin on his shoulders, went at daybreak to the center of the village and started a fire, which he did only after considerable difficulty, by rubbing two dry sticks together. Four young men then approached from the four corners of the square, each carrying an oak log. They advanced towards the fire with great ceremony, and deposited their logs end to end, pointed to the four points of the compass. After these logs had become well ignited four other young men came forward, each carrying an ear of new corn, which the medi- cine man took from them and placed upon the fire, where they were consumed. Then four other young men approached carrying a quantity of the ‘‘ cassina” plant, from which the black drink is manufactured. Some of the leaves were placed on the fire and consumed, after which the remainder was immediately dried and cooked for use. The warriors and other males of the tribe having assembled, they proceeded to drink the black drink in the usual manner. During the first day’s ceremony no women were allowed to approach the fire, and it is a question whether they were allowed admittance on the second or third days. The third day was spent by the young men in hunting and fishing. On the fourth day the whole town assembled, including men, women, and children, and the game killed on the previous day was cooked and served for a great feast, and the day was spent in eating, drinking, and dancing. Large pots of sofkee were placed about and a wooden spoon was constantly at its side so that any one wishing to partake of it could do so. The method of making sofkee in the old days was to boil a quantity of pounded corn until it formed a soup of the consistency of rather thin gruel; to this was added a small quantity of lees made from ashes of hickory wood. The soup thus made kept for several days in cov- ered pots. At the present time sofkee is made of boiled corn and hominy, without the addition of the lees made from hickory wood. The Indians squat about the kettle, each one drinking a spoonful of the mixture in turn, using the same large wooden spoon. THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. 19 The ‘* black drink” was made from a shrub found in Georgia, and Carolina, and Northern Florida, which is called casszna. The leaves were collected and boiled over a fire ; they were then poured from one pan to another until fermentation took place, when it was considered ready for use. In ancient times it was a custom of the Indians during this celebration to seat themselves in a circle around the fire, and three young men handed gourds full of the black drink to three of the greatest chiefs present. The young men then stepped back a few paces and uttered what was known as the black drink cry, first exclaiming loudly the word ‘‘choh.” At this signal the three chiefs drank from the huge gourds, the young men uttering the wailing note, and the chiefs drank until the note ended. The gourds were then taken from the mouths of the war- riors and the young men handed them to the chiefs next in rank, pronouncing the word ‘‘ choh,” but the cry of the black drink was not uttered, as none were entitled to this distinction except those highest in power. After drinking the concoction the warriors dis- gorged it, and we are told that it was considered praiseworthy to be able to do this gracefully. The Indians are warned by their medicine men not to eat corn until after the celebration of the Green Corn Dance. William Freeman, of Little River, who has lived near the Indians for many years, told me how, on one occasion, Dr. Tiger was at his house when he had green corn for dinner; it was some weeks before the Green Corn Dance was to take place, and Dr. Tiger looked wistfully at the corn and asked, ‘‘ You eat green corn now?” Free- man answered, ‘‘ Me like corn plenty now.” Tiger went on with his meal, but did not eat any corn, although he seemed troubled about something. At last he told Freeman that the Indians were warned by their medicine men not to eat green corn before the annual celebration, as it would make them ill; ‘«* Make Indian sick,” as he expressed it. It seems, according to Tiger’s statement, that some of the squaws and children have eaten green corn before the dance, but the men never eat it. 20 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. Iam not certain that this is true, as I have been told by other Indians that they ate corn whenever it was ripe. I have asked many Indians about this, but they dislike being questioned regarding their customs, and one is never sure that they are telling the truth in such matters. Freeman was under the impression that Dr. Tiger might take a nibble somewhat earlier than his comrades in future. The new year commenced with the Creeks after the celebration of the green corn dance, or, at least, this was a custom when they inhabited Alabama and Georgia, as August was considered the first month of the year. At present it is doubtful if they have made any change in their yearly calendar, although the green corn dance takes place earlier. They divide their year into two seasons, summer and winter, and they then divide these into moons as follows : — August. . Heyothlucco . . . Big Ripening Moon. September. Otauwooskochee . Little Chestnut Moon. October . Otauwooskolucco . Big Chestnut Moon. November . Heewoolee . . . Falling Leaf Moon. December . Thlaffolucco. . . Big Winter Moon. January . Thlaffochosee . . Little Winter Moon, alias Big Winter Moon’s young brother. February . MHootahlahassee . . Windy Moon. March . . Tausautchoosee . . Little Spring Moon. April . . Tausautcheelucco . Big Spring Moon. May . . Keehassee . . . Mulberry Moon. June. . Kochohassee. . . Blackberry Moon. July . . Hoyeuchee . . . Little Ripening Moon. CLOTHING AND ORNAMENTS. THE costume of a Seminole Indian usually consists of a turban, a breech cloth, a calico shirt, and a neckerchief. This is the usual costume worn by them when in their own camp and among their own people ; but when they visit the white man’s town they add two THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. 21 or three cravats and sometimes pantaloons as well, but as a rule they cover their legs with deerskin leggings of their own manu- facture. They also wear a watch chain and numerous safety pins fastened to their shirts, but I have never yet seen one carry a watch. Their turban is made of a woolen shawl, sometimes covered with a piece of calico and even silk when they wish to be particularly gor- geous in their attire. On one occasion I saw an Indian by the name of Billy Bowlegs wearing a turban encircled by a band of metal (probably tin). The older Indians usu- ally wear a red woolen turban made by winding a shawl around their heads, which they fasten by tucking the ends skilfully away be- neath the folds with- out the use of pins. As arule they do not wear a turban when hunting. They sometimes wear moccasins in camp, and they al- JACK CHARLIE. ways wear them when visiting a whiteman’stown. They rarely wear any of the white man’s clothing in their own camps, as the older Indians are prejudiced against having any of the younger ones asso- ciate with white people or adopt their customs. The costume of the women consists of a cotton or calico skirt and 22 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. BILLY BOWLEGS. waist. The waist merely reaches below the breast, leaving a portion of the stomach bare. In most cases these dresses are more or less ornamented by sewing on pieces of calico of different colors. The women do not wear moccasins. Young girls, up to the age of eight or nine years, wear only a skirt, being nude above the waist, while the boys wear a shirt only. Younger children go about naked in the camps, but at the present time they often put on little cotton shirts, if they happen to be in the vicinity of the white settlements. As soon as they get into camp, however, off come the clothes and the youngsters run about in a state of nature. Many of the men shave their heads, leaving only a scalp-lock and a little bang of hair on the forehead, but this custom is not always followed by the younger In- dians. The women wear great quantities of beads which they hang in strings about their necks, and the weight of these must be very great. The women also. wear round pieces of silver made from dimes and quarters ham- mered very thin. These they fasten to the breast of INDIAN CHILDREN. THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. 23 their dress. They also wear half dollars and dollars hung in the same manner, but those are not hammered. Occasionally, though rarely, they make very thin large discs of hammered silver, which are worn by the women over the breasts, one on each side. The men do not paint their faces, but occasionally wear ornaments when visiting a white man’s camp or going to a town on a trading expedi- tion. JI am told they sometimes paint their faces during the cere- mony of the Green Corn Dance, but was unable to get any definite information on this subject. Sometimes the men wear bracelets of silver, but it is not a very common custom, as I have never seen but 24 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. one Indian adorned in this manner. It is probable that most of their ornaments are kept in safe places to be used only on ‘state occasions.” — METHODS OF HUNTING. Durine the spring the manatees enter the rivers to feed on the ‘‘manatee” grass, and, as some writers claim, the leaves of the mangrove trees. They are abundant in the bays and rivers all along (Drawn by Edward Knobel.) MANATEE. the west and east coasts of Southern Florida. At one time the St. Lucie River was a noted place for them. In New River the man- atee is still common, and they are numerous at times in the lower part of Biscayne Bay and on the west coast south of Charlotte Harbor. They live equally in salt or fresh water, and while with the Indians on one of their manatee hunts I have seen half a dozen rising to the surface of the ocean at one time, over a quarter of a mile from shore. Many of these animals are killed by the Indians every year. They hunt them in canoes, sometimes in the rivers, and again in the ocean, but usually near the mouth of some river. These animals come to the surface every few minutes to breathe, and their heads may be seen as they appear for a moment above the surface of the water, THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. 25 I have often accompanied Osceola and other Indians on a manatee hunt of this kind. They harpoon them as they rise to the surface, using a steel point barbed on one side, attached to the end of a long pole. To the steel point is fastened a strong cord, which in turn is attached to a float. Upon being struck the manatee sinks at once, but the direction in which he moves is indicated by the float. The AFTER MANATEE. Indians follow the float as closely as possible and watch for him to rise to the surface, when they shoot him through the head, and the huge animal is then towed to the shore. It requires considerable skill as well as strength to drive the harpoon through the thick, tough hide. Many of these animals grow to a very large size, and it is claimed that some of them have been taken which exceeded twelve feet in length. One day, while talking with Old Charlie and his squaw at his camp on the north bank of New River, he drew my attention to a long brown object which was moving slowly up the stream a few 26 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. inches beneath the surface of the water. It was about twenty feet from the bank, and Old Charlie whispered to me that it was a manatee. Getting into my canoe I paddled gently after him, but as I did so an exclamation from Old. Charlie caused me to turn, and there, just below me, was another manatee larger than the first. I whispered to Pat to keep the boat as still as possible, and in another moment the huge creature passed di- rectly under us, not two feet beneath the surface, and so clear was the water that the coarse hairs on his brown skin were distinctly visible. He appeared to be at least ten feet long, and, although I wanted that particular manatee very much, as I had no harpoon in the boat, I could only sit and watch him slowly move up the river, where he undoubtedly joined his companion who had preceded him. The Indians are very fond of the flesh of this animal, which somewhat resembles coarse beef, and what they do not use them- selves they readily sell to the white settlers. The manatee is a very timid creature, and the least sound, such THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. 27 as an oar striking against the side of the boat will cause him to sink and swim away at once. The Indians kill a great many alligators for the purpose of sell- ing their skins to traders. As a rule, they ‘ fire-hunt” them at night. The alligator lying with his eyes out of the water does not appear to be =< = afraid of the light which is reflected in his eye, having the appearance of a HARPOON. brilliant candle flame, and may be seen from a considerable distance. The Indian paddling in his canoe approaches within a few feet of the animal and easily shoots him through the head, after which he is speared and towed to the shore. Of late years alligators have become comparatively scarce and it no longer pays professional hunters to kill them as a business, although they are still numerous in many places in the interior. Indians, as a rule, do not like to hunt far from their canoes or ponies, although they are good walkers, and, if occasion requires, will cover long distances on foot. The Indians are very fond of bear meat and extract an oil from the fat which they prize highly. Whenever a bear is discovered a hunting party is immediately organized and the animal is tracked to his hiding place, surrounded and killed. When deer hunting the Indians divide into small parties, two or three bucks hunting together, taking with them their squaws and children. They select a part of the country where deer are known to be plenty and usually succeed in killing a great many. When in the vicinity of a white settlement they find a ready market for their venison and what they do not sell is smoked and dried for future use; dried venison will keep very well, but it is tough and unpal- atable. During the planting season both the men and women work in the field, but when on-a hunting expedition the women do all the camp work. The men, when not hunting, lie about the camp taking it easy. Upon reaching a new camping place the men take their rifles 28 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. and immediately go off hunting while the squaws are preparing the camp. They hunt in the morning and evening, returning to camp before noon unless they have been unsuccessful in finding game, when they sometimes tramp about the woods all day. On these hunting excursions he wears nothing but a cotton shirt unless it is a very rough country, when he sometimes wears leggings made of soft leather. He rarely wears his turban except in the very hottest weather. The Indians are very skilful hunters, although they seldom use dogs, in spite of the fact that they always have a lot of curs about their camps. They hunt deer in the manner known as * still hunt- ing,” walking about the woods morning and evening, moving cautiously and silently through the underbrush in a manner peculiar to a ghost or an Indian, constantly peering about in all directions for the deer, which they hope to find feeding.. Very few white men are able to kill deer successfully by still hunting, yet the Indian rarely hunts in any other way. Trained in woodcraft from childhood, he moves slowly-along, stopping every few yards to look about, raising his head slowly and cautiously above some clump of bushes. His eye being trained for such work, he is able to see game in places where it would be practically invisible to the eye of the ordinary hunter. When trailing a bear or a panther an Indian can often follow the track without difficulty in places where a person not used to the woods would be unable to distinguish any mark whatever. One of the difficulties experienced by non-professional hunters is to distinguish between a freshly made track and one two or three days old. In damp sand and in shaded places where the sun’s rays do not penetrate this is often very difficult to do. An animal walking on sandy land when it is damp with dew will press small straws and sticks into it, which, when they rise again, carry with them numerous particles of damp sand which will still adhere to them when dry. This, of course, is an almost positive indication that the track has been made after the dew had fallen; but when the track is made in shady places and the THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. 29 ground remains damp for a week at a time even professional hunters will sometimes be at fault. The Indians burn the country every spring in a most reckless manner, destroying great quantities of timber. They set the dry grass on fire, so that, by destroying the old grass, the new, fresh shoots coming up attract the deer and turkeys which are generally found on such places. Besides this, the ground being burned off renders still-hunting much more easy, for the game can then be so much more readily seen. The Indians are splendid hunters, but few of them can beat a white man shooting at a mark. I have seen Osceola kill a deer while running at full speed, nearly a hundred yards distant ; I have also seen him drop two deer, one after the other, before the second one had time to run, and on another occasion I saw him miss a fox-squirrel on the top of a tree three times in succession. ‘Wolves are not uncommon in the southwestern portion of Florida, from the Big Cypress Swamp southward. Osceola (Gart-sum-a-tel- e-kee) told me that last year he found an old female wolf with two cubs a little way south of his camp on the Big Cypress. Both cubs, as well as the old one, were black. He shot the mother, which he claimed growled and acted very much as a dog would do. He caught the young cubs alive and carried them to camp, but they would eat nothing, and after two or three days he killed them; as he described it, ‘* Me bang um heads against a tree.” Old Charlie, whose name is Barfotartso, told me that he had heard of large bears beyond the Big Cypress. He said, ‘‘ One white man he tell me see big bear, white on breast,” but that he had never seen one himself, and he did not know if the story were true. He also told me of a large bat which occurs in Florida, and which, judging from his description, was a species not yet recorded from the State, and which would probably spread two feet or more. He also told me of a black panther which had been killed by the Indians some years ago. In all probability this was nothing more than a melanistic example of the common form. Old Charlie spoke of some very large alligators which he had seen, 30 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. but said, ‘* They all gone.” According to his statement, when he was a boy game was very abundant in the country about the Cypress Creek and Hillsboro River. Bears were numerous at that time, but nowadays it is rare to find one in that country. Deer are still abund- ant, but Old Charlie says they are much less so than formerly. In the Big Cypress Swamp and in some localities near Lake Okeechobee paroquets are numerous. I have seen flocks near Cypress Creek, and killed a number of specimens last winter near Snook Creek. At one time they were abundant on the Kis- simmee River, but are so no longer. Paroquets build their nest in holes in trees, as a rule, and the Indians wait till the young are half grown, and then, during the absence of the old birds, they cut the tree nearly through ; the next night, watching their chance, they fell the tree quickly with one or two blows of the axe and catch the birds in the hole before they have time to escape. LOCATION OF VILLAGES. TueERE are five principal settlements of Florida Indians. These are situated, (1) in the Big Cypress, southwest of Okeechobee, (2) INDIAN CAMP, NEW RIVER. THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. 31 near Miami River, (3) on Fish Eating Creek, northwest of Lake Okeechobee, (4) on Cow Creek, northeast of Okeechobee, and (5) at Cat Fish Lake. There are a number of families who have temporary camps in other localities, and some few Indians have what they call their permanent camps outside of these villages, there being, I am told, several Indians living on the islands in the Everglades, and four or five families have camps on New River; but nearly all of these have camps elsewhere as well. The number of Seminole Indians in Florida is variously estimated as from 250 to 350, and it is possible they may exceed that number. Many of the Okeechobee Indians are descendants of the Creeks or Muskogees, as the language spoken there seems to be of that 32 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. tribe. The language spoken by the Miami Indians is somewhat different. The chief seat of government is located at Fish Eating Creek, and at this camp resides Hospataki and Tustanugge, who are chiefs of note, although, as I understand it, there has been no regularly recognized head chief among the Seminole Indians since the death of Tiger Tail. It was customary in the old days to have the chieftain- ship descend in the female line, but this is not so at present, and if a chief is now elected itis done by the council. SEMINOLE HISTORY. THERE is a tradition handed down from one generation to another among the Indians to the effect that a very long time ago some wandering bands of Indians came from the northwest, and, finding the country fertile and filled with game, they settled in the country of the then powerful tribes of Florida and Appalachian Indians. They were received in a friendly manner and for many years lived on good terms with their neighbors, but later, when their numbers had increased, they made war upon the Appalachians and succeeded in destroying that tribe early in the eighteenth century. These Indians, who belonged to the Creek or Muskogee tribe, became famous for their warlike abilities. They extended west to the Ala- bama River, and east throughout Georgia and Northern Florida. They conquered the Alabama nation who inhabited the country near the Alabama River; but later restored to them their lands upon the Alabamians becoming a part of the Creek nation. At this time various wandering bands settled in Florida, most of them being descendants of the Creeks or Muskogees. These were known as Seminoles or ‘‘lost men.” The Indians now known as Seminoles in Florida are principally descendants of the Muskogee or Creek nation, but there are a few individuals descended from the Mickasaukies, Uchees, and Choctaws. In the year 1835 commenced what is known as the Seminole War. In the year 1832 a treaty had been made with the Creeks or Semi- THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. 33 noles (at Banes’ Landing on the Ochlawaha) by which they ceded their lands which they held in Florida in consideration of the pay- ment to them of an annuity of $15,400, and they agreed to send a delegation of chiefs to see the country offered them west of the Mississippi River to which they had agreed to emigrate. It was stipulated in the treaty that the cost of emigration should be paid for by the United States. All cattle owned by the Indians were to be estimated and paid for, and provision made that each person on reaching the new location should receive a blanket, a homespun frock, and an additional annuity of three hundred dollars per year for fifteen years was to be divided among them, besides other minor considerations, such as claims for runaway slaves, and the services of a blacksmith, etc. It was agreed that they were to remove within three years. The Seminoles living north of the boundary line (designated by Camp Moultrie) began to move west, and a few bands continued to emi- grate until 1835, when the balance refused positively to go at all. This year marked the commencement of what is known as the Seminole War. The Indians burned a bridge within six miles of Fort Brook, on Tampa Bay, and killed a mail-carrier in August of that year. Charles Emathla, an Indian chief, who was one of those friendly to the emigration movement, had been killed, and chiefs Little Cloud and Alligator, with their bands, attacked and nearly destroyed Major Dade’s company at a place about fifty-five miles south of Tampa Bay, Major Dade being among the killed. The party consisted of 114 men, 112 of whom were killed. It was at this time that Osceola first became prominent in directing the movements of the Indians. Robert Osceola and Charlie Osceola (of the Big Cypress) are descendants of that celebrated chief. Some of the old Indians are still alive who took part in that war. In speaking to Old Charlie (not Charlie Osceola) about Osceola he did not know at first who I meant, but upon my asking him if he had heard of Powell he immediately answered, ‘* Uncar; me know, great man.” The older Indians believe to this day that General Harney granted 34 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. them the Everglades to live in forever, and they do not feel kindly towards the white men who are gradually penetrating further and further into what they consider to be their domain. The names of the following war chiefs, of whom I have given a brief biography, are remembered by many of the present generation of Florida Indians. OSCEOLA, war chief of the Seminole tribe. He was born about the year 1803, and was the son of an English trader named Powell, his mother being a daughter of a Seminole chief. He was also. called Assini Yahola and Powell, which was the surname of the- white man who married his mother. Osceola signifies the rising sun. The grandfather of Osceola was a Scotchman who married a Creek woman; his father, therefore, was a half-breed, but his mother was a Creek woman of pure blood. He was born on the: Tallapoosa River between the years 1800 and 1806. He was noted as a ball-player and hunter and for running and wrestling. At the- time of the Seminole War he was not as great a chief as Jumper, Holata Mico, or Coa Hajo, or Holato Mico, or Red Stick, but rose: to prominence during the Indian hostilities. Osceola soon became one of the leading chiefs on account of his activity and success in the Indian War. He had two wives, both of them young. It is claimed he was taken prisoner at last by treachery while holding a. conference under a flag of truce, and died of inflammation of the throat in 1838, while confined at Sullivan’s Island as a prisoner: of war. NEAMATHLA was by birth a Creek, and was at one time the most distinguished chief in the Seminole tribe. Neamathla returned to the Creeks about the year 1826, and sat in council with them in 1827. Foke Luste Hajo was at that time one of the principal Florida chiefs. He was one of the seven who was appointed to. visit and explore the country offered to the Seminoles west of the Mississippi. His associates were Holata Amathla, Jumper, Charlie Amathla, Coa Hajo Arpiucki, and Yaha Hajo. He was friendly to the whites, and in 1835, at the declaration of war, he was warned to leave the country by the other Indians. Hola Amathla, Otulke- THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. 35. Amathla, Foke Luste Hajo, Conhathee Mico, and Foshutchee Mico. fled to Fort Brook and encamped under the protection of the guns. CHITTEE YOHOLO, a Seminole chief of note. He was a young man at the time of the Seminole War, but, being a venture- some warrior, he soon rose to prominence and received honors from his tribe. He was given several names. After killing his first white man he was called Chewasty Emathla. After he had killed several white men and received several names in succession he was christened Olocta Tustennugge. He afterwards emigrated to Arkansas. LANGUAGE. THE two principal languages spoken by the Indians now resident in Florida are known as Okeechobee and Miami. They are quite different, although many of the Indians speak both languages. That spoken by Robert Osceola, Old Charlie, Tom Tiger, and the other New River Indians is the Okeechobee dialect, and is undoubtedly modified Creek or Muskogee. I was unable to learn what language is spoken by the Miami Indians, but it is quite different. The majority of the words which I have included in the following vocab- ulary have been obtained through conversations with Robert Osceola (Gart-sum-a-tel-e-kee) and other Indians with whom I have hunted. VOCABULARY. AnIndian . . . . . Estee-sar-tsee. White man . . . . Estee-hat-kee. Negro . . . . . . Estee-lustee. Man . 2 Gel dn co, oBStee: Woman... ..... Hock-tee. Child. . . . . . . + Es-to-chee. Scalp. 2 2 : = . E-kah-hal-pee. Tooth . oo. . . . . Nut-tee. Hand... . . . .. In-kee. Leg . » . « » » » Hats-ka-wah. HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. Foot Stomach . Town Chief Warrior Friend Enemy Kettle Ax Hatchet Gun Rifle Knife . Boat Paddle Legging . Coat Shirt Headdress Moccasin Tobacco pipe Tobacco . Beads White beads Sun Night Morning . Summer . ‘Winter Wind . Rain Fire Water E-lee. Im-pas-sah. To-lo-fa. Micco; or See-a-pah-ya. Tus-ka-nuk-kee hib-otskee. His-see. Ho-thlee. Alk-us-wah. Pa-chos-wah. Po-chos-wo-chee. Klack-o-push-kee-mifsea ; also Ayt- sah. I-oke-finegay; also aytsah-sa-tah- hee. Slof-ka. Pith-lo. Is-kahf-ko-chee. Huf-fa-tick-ka. Aji-o-kof-kee-tah. Ai-o-kof-ke-ko-chockonnee. E-ka-sim-enah-hits-ka. Ist-e-lee-pik-kah. E-chee-pok-wah. E-chee. Lo-nup. Lo-nup-hat-kee. Hassee. Nith-lee. Hat-ah-yat-kee. Mis-kee. Thla-fo. Ho-tallee. Os-kay. Tot-ka; or Toad-ka. O-ee-wah. THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. 37 Sea... . . . . ~We-hat-ka. Lake. . . . . . +. Ok-hassee. River . oo. . . « « Hatchee thlokko. Creek . . . . . . Hatch-oochee. Bog . . . . . . « Ok-lee-wah-hee. Island . .. . . . O-tee. Silver . . . . .. . + Chat-to-ko-na-wah. Copper . . . . . . Chat-to-ko-na-wah-lah-nee. Egg . . . . . . . Its-hoos-tar-gay. Cort « « # « » « « Chee, Soup... . . . .* Sofkee. Potato . . . . . . Ah-hah. Squash . . . . . . Ta-hai-ah. Tree. . . . . . . E-to. Log . . . . . . . E-+to-wah-kee. Pine . . . . . . +. Choo-lee. Oak . . . . . . . Lok-tsa-sum-pa. Grass. . . . . . . Pah-pee. Bread... . .... Tuck-lai-kee; also Ab-bas-wah. Meat... . . . . A-pess-wah. Beaver... . ... Ets-hass-wah. Deer... . . . . + ~E-cho. Bear... . . . . No-ko-see. Otter. . . . . . . Ov-sa-na. Alligator . . . . . Hal-pa-tah. Fox .. . . . . . Tso-la. Wolf... . . +. ~~. ~ = Yarha. Dee go a a ee « ‘etal, Squirrel. .« . « = Eethio, Rabbit . . . . . . Cho-fee. Wildcat . . . . . +. + ‘Ko-ak-o-chee. Panther... . . . Cat-sa. Raccoon. . . . . . Wood-ko. Opossum . . . . . Sok-a-hat-kee. Tee a 2 @ w ws ~ -« “Bokea 38 38 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. Skunk Horse Snake Rattlesnake . Turtle Fly Bird Goose Duck . Partridge Turkey Owl . . . Woodpecker Fish White Black Red Blue Yellow Big Little . Bad . Good Alive . Dead . Cold Hot Sour . Sweet Salt Milk Butter Plenty Food . Tracks Ko-no. Cha-lok-ko. Chitto. Chun-tee-chu-day. Lo-tsa. Tsa-na. Fuss-wah. A-hak-wa. Fo-tso. Ko-ai-kee. Pen-e-wah. O-pah. Tit-ka. Thla-thlo. Hat-kee. Lus-tee. Tsah-tee. Ok-ho lah-tee. Lah-nee. Thlokko. Chot-kee. Hol-war-gus. Hintz-kay. Hee-sah-kee. E-lottee. Ka-sappee. Hai-ee. Ka-mok-see. Tsam-pee. Ok-tsan-wah. Wah-ku-pissee. Wah-ku-pissee-ne-ah. Orgis. Humbugis. Fund-let. THE SEMINOLE INDIANS. 39 Many . Yo-mee-chen. ‘You are To-yits-kist. He is . To yits. I Annee. I want Si-arts-jay. He E-mee. Near - A-wo-lee. Far away Ho-pai-ee. To-day Motz-en-etar. To-morrow Pok-see. Yesterday Pok-san-gee. Yes Un-car. No. Hick-ast-chee. To sing Ya-hai-kee-tah. ‘To dance O-pan-kee-tah. To kill E-leech-ee-tah. Go. Hiepus. Gone . Cir-cus-jay. Good-night Hiepa-larnis-jay. Have you any . . Chey-mo-char. Can you speak the Indian language . O-por-nar-gart-g-gate the-tare. ‘What is the price In-nar-car-poor. Which way . Ist-ah-mar-mar-hen. Seeit. . . . . . . Ine-gits-kar. See . . . . . . . E-gits-kar. What do you call it Nack-key-tay. Klamen. Tookelin. Toceenin. She-larkin. Sarkepin. Eparkin. Colorparkin. Senarparkin. OTWAMNUAWHNHH’! 40 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. g Osther-parkin. ro Parlin. To illustrate the difference between the Creek language and that spoken by some of the ‘* Miami” Indians, I give a few words selected from a list obtained through the kindness of Miss Freeman, the daughter of Mr. William Freeman, of Little River. Horse Raccoon Turkey Cow Shirt Dress Rabbit . Otter Wolf Wildcat Man... Panther 1 Hump-kee. 2 Po-coo-lee. 3 To-chee-nee. 4 Osteen. 5 Cha-kee-pin. 6 Ee-pa-kin. 7 Co-la-pa-kin. 8 To-chee-nee-pa-kin. g Osteen-parkin. Io Po-lee. Co-i-yee. Su-a-wee. Fi-tee. Wau-kee. Fo-kee-shee-ca. O-ho-nee. Cha-co-fee. O-shy-nee. O-ba-ho-shee. Coo-on-o-shee. Na-co-nee. — Coo-ot-cho-bee. THE FLORIDA PANTHER. Tue Florida Panther is still not uncommon in the more unsettled portions of the State. It is somewhat smaller and more rufous in color than its Northern brethren, and its feet are smaller in propor- tion to the size of the animal. It is comparatively shy and is diffi- cult to find on account of its habit of continually wandering about, rarely staying long in one place unless attracted there by an unusual FLORIDA PANTHER. abundance of food, such as in the vicinity of a hog camp or where deer are very plenty; but as a rule they move about a great deal, often traveling twenty miles or more in a night. The Florida Panther preys upon small animals and is very fond of deer and dogs 40 42 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. when it can catch them. They hunt as a rule at night; but on cool and cloudy days or after a rain they often move about in the day- time. Ifa panther kills a deer he returns to it the second night, but rarely the third night, and much of the animal is often left uneaten. In the old days it was by no means uncommon to find a dead deer in the woods with the evidence about it of having been killed and partly eaten by a panther. The track made by a panther somewhat resembles that of a hound, but it is larger, and the ball of the foot is relatively much larger; the toe marks are in front and do not show any mark of a claw unless the animal is jumping. We found the fresh trails of seven panthers in one week within thirty miles of Lake Worth. The soft foot of this great cat leaves very little trail except in mud or soft sand. In traveling over a piece of sandy soil the tracks are almost invisible where those of a dog can be plainly seen. It was our usual custom to start out at daylight and allow the hounds to run about as they pleased as we rode slowly through the woods. Every few minutes a hound would start off on a fresh trail of some animal, and we would have to call in the other dogs and ‘* slow trail” it until we came to a place where the ground was clear and soft enough for us to see the tracks and learn what it was they were after. Oftentimes it would be a deer or cat, and we could sometimes tell what it was by watching the actions of the dog. If the trail was very winding and wandered in and out through a piece of scrub, turning this way and that, we were pretty certain it was not a panther, for they usually follow a straight course, turning but little from right to left. In crossing a piece of open land, a panther walks directly across, while a deer would make a more or less irregular trail. Then again, if a hound following a trail smells along the top of an old log, we know very well that it is not a deer that has walked along the log, but either a wildcat or a panther. Of course if we found it was not a panther which the dogs were trailing we called them off and again continued our search. About THE FLORIDA PANTHER. 43 eleven o’clock we usually returned tocamp. Later than that, unless the day was cloudy, no dog could follow a trail on sandy soil in the hot, dry weather of Southern Florida. Sometimes the panther would make a trail late in the morning, and then.of course it could be followed until afternoon, but usu- ally the trails were made early at night, and became too “©cold” to be fol- lowed after the sun had been shining on them for several hours. It was easy enough to follow through the grass where the ground was still moist, but upon coming out upon high, sandy, spruce ridges the hounds would lose the scent and wander aimlessly about trying to re- cover it. In such cases we could sometimes assist them where the tracks were dis- cernible in the soft sand, but in many places the ground JOHN. DAVIS. was just hard enough so that it was im- possible to see signs of the trail except at long intervals, and the time occupied in attempting to follow it across one of those 44 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. dry places usually delayed us until too late to continue the hunt. A panther when ‘ jumped” by the hounds usually runs but a short distance, and then climbs a tree, and in such cases may be easily killed by the hunter ; but sometimes the panther does not take to a tree, but conceals himself in thick undergrowth, and there it is more difficult to get at him and he is sometimes ugly. Panthers will rarely attack a man unless wounded or with cubs, but they will fight the dogs, which have little chance against their teeth and claws. One particular panther which I killed in the spring of 1895 was quite ugly, charging the dogs savagely whenever they approached her. Panthers are not uncommon in the wilder portion of the State, both on the east and west coast. The Indians report them numerous in the vicinity of the Big Cypress south of Fort Myers. During the winter of 1895 they were quite numerous near the cypress swamps about Long Hammock and Custard Apple Hammock and south- west of Lake Worth. John Davis killed six in one season. They are scarce now on the peninsula east of the Indian River, but were common there a few years ago. In 1892 I saw the fresh tracks of a large panther near Canaveral, and back in the ‘ eighties” Mr. O. A. Quarterman killed several in the vicinity of Canaveral, once making a double shot at two old males that he discovered fighting on the bank of Banana Creek. They vary much in size. Florida Panthers which will measure ten feet in length are exceedingly rare, and from what I am told by the hunters and Indians I am inclined to believe that a panther nine feet in length may be considered a big one in Florida. A good-sized male will weigh between one hundred and one hundred and twenty-five pounds, and I have seen full- grown panthers (females) which weighed less than eighty-five pounds. A PANTHER HUNT. I was awakened before daybreak, and after dressing myself and eating a light breakfast we were in the saddle and well away from camp before it was light enough to follow a trail. The grass and THE FLORIDA PANTHER. 45 bushes were dripping with dew, and an energetic but somewhat dissipated chuck-will’s-widow was whistling away with much fervor. A moment later and a crow cawed from the top of a small pine, and then the full avian orchestra commenced in earnest, and the belated chuck-will’s-widow was heard no more. The dogs, eager to find a trail, were running in and out of the thick bushes, occasionally starting off on the trail of a deer or wild- cat, upon which they were immediately called back by Davis. Soon the sun rose, and then the bird music gradually ceased, although the bluebirds piped away alone for some time, occasionally assisted by a crow. At times the dogs would strike a trail on hard ground where we could see nothing. We would then have to call them in and ‘slow trail” it until we came to a place where the ground was soft enough to enable us to see the tracks. Usually it proved to be a deer, sometimes a cat, but. we were not after deer and cats, except of a larger kind, so the dogs were called off and we kept on. Panther tracks two or three days old were not uncommon, but no ‘“‘ fresh” ones were found, and I began to think we should have to give it up and return to camp. Once or twice the dogs sniffed along the top of a fallen tree, and our spirits immediately rose, as we knew that in all probability the animal that walked there was either a cat or a panther, but in every instance a further investigation proved it to have been the former. At times each of us would take a hound and hunt in different directions, meeting later at some point agreed upon, and then again we would hunt all the dogs together. In this way we covered a great deal of ground. At last ‘‘ Cleve” started off on an apparently fresh trail and was immédiately followed by the other dogs. Davis called him back and made him go slowly until he came to a piece of soft sand where the trail was plain and clear, and which this time proved to be that of a large panther, and was evidently quite ‘‘ fresh.” At this time I was not with them, so Davis and Gale started on to follow the animal alone. The dogs ‘‘jumped” him within a mile of where they struck the trail, and the animal ran for perhaps a quarter of a 46 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. mile before taking to a tree. When Davis came up he saw the panther about twenty feet from the ground, standing upon a small limb, hardly large enough to support it, and looking about in an un- easy manner. Just above the panther was a larger limb where she could rest secure if she would take the trouble to mount a few feet higher, but instead of domg this she continued looking anxiously about, and as Davis approached was evidently making up her mind to leave the tree. Davis, knowing that I was particularly anxious to obtain a photograph of a panther, and as the tree was in an exposed and sunny place, immediately conceived the idea that 1f he should wound the hind legs of the animal with a small shot the panther would probably go higher up the tree and sun herself there until I should arrive. The result of this experiment was not a grand suc- cess, for upon receiving the charge of shot in her hind feet the panther immediately sprang (according to Davis’ statement) at least forty feet from the tree and ran with all the dogs after her into the cypress swamp, where she turned and attacked the dogs savagely, uttering in the meantime the loudest roars for an animal of its size that Davis had ever heard. The place where the panther concealed itself was about two hundred yards into the thick cypress swamp, where the ground was soft and wet. So, leaving Gale to follow with the dogs if the panther made a fresh start, Davis came back for me. When I reached the spot and saw the place in which the animal had concealed herself, I was satisfied it was useless to attempt to try to photograph this one, so, leaving the camera with Davis, I took my rifle and pushed my way slowly into the swamp where I could hear the dogs barking furiously, and Doc’s voice was soon added to the chorus. As I neared them I heard the panther snarling and growl- ing savagely, occasionally making short rushes through the under- brush, evidently charging a dog. Suddenly she started off and ran perhaps one hundred or one hundred and fifty yards still further into the swamp, where the ground was more marshy and the undergrowth still more dense. It was impossible to see more than ten or fifteen yards in any direction through the thick undergrowth, and in some THE FLORIDA PANTHER. 47 places it was necessary to cut the thorn vines at almost every step. Slowly pushing my way in, listening to the dogs, especially to the shrill, high piping of Doc, who uttered almost a continuous howl whenever the panther moved, I approached within twelve or fifteen yards of where the animal was concealed. Stepping cautiously over the logs and peering about me at every possible place where I thought she might be, I located her pretty detinitely by the actions of the hounds which were now close to me, moving about from place to place, but all gazing in the direction of a thick clump of ferns and bushes surrounding an immense fallen cypress. Cautiously moving to one side, I saw the panther crouch- ing beside and partly under the fallen tree. She was not over twenty feet distant, and as she turned her snarling face towards me she presented one of the ugliest pictures I have ever seen. Her ears were drawn tightly back and she exposed a splendid set of teeth. A very pungent, musty odor was perceptible. As she turned towards me all the dogs sprang at her at once. Even gentle little Doc threw himself bravely into the fray, and crippled Cleve jumped at her as gamely as ever. She turned on them with a quickness that was astonishing, uttering a snarling roar while biting and clawing at them savagely ; but just then I fired, once, twice, three t/nes, as fast as I could work the lever, and the great cat lay kicking and aimlessly biting, as the dogs worried her and fastened their teeth in her tough hide, while I cheered them on, and praised them, and told them what good dogs they were. Poor Cleve laid himself down close to the panther and commenced licking his foreleg, in which the bone was badly crushed. Bruce showed a long cut on his flank, and little Doc was scratched about the neck ; luckily, none of the wounds were serious, although Cleve was laid up for some time. This was Doc’s first panther and he was beside himself with joy and excitement. He would rush at the dead animal, and bite her, and bark at the same time, and then come running to me, wagging his tail and looking up into my eyes, as if to say, ‘* Did you see me bite her? I was a little afraid at first, she was so big and ugly, but when I saw her turn towards you I 48 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. forgot all about being afraid.” And then, with a joyful bark, he would rush off to repeat the performance. In a few minutes the men joined me, having heard the shots, and Gale and Davis carried the panther out in the open ground at the edge of the cypress swamp. Here we photographed her, after which Davis and I rode out to camp some twenty miles away, taking the panther with us and leaving Gale to spend the night with two old hunters, Smith and Wooten, who were in camp some three miles away. This panther was a female and measured about seven feet in length from nose to tip of tail. The next day Gale had a very peculiar experience with a panther, which is worthy of relating.. As Gale tells the story, after I had left him he walked to Smith’s camp as I had directed, taking the dogs with him. The next morning he started bright and early with the two THE FLORIDA PANTHER. 49 hunters to come out to Little Fish Crossing, and they had not gone more than a quarter of a mile from camp before the dogs found a perfectly fresh track of a good-sized panther. They held a consul- tation as to the advisability of sending for me, but, knowing that I had probably started for Lake Worth, it was decided to let the dogs run him for awhile.* The track was on the side of a small cypress swamp, perhaps a few hundred yards in extent, and the dogs ran directly into this and came out the other side, baying loudly. Old man Smith mounted a large fallen tree, and Wooten and Gale walked off to one side, attempting to locate the direction in which the dogs were going. Suddenly they heard the dogs coming directly toward them, and Gale saw the panther bounding along towards Smith, who at that moment also saw him and attempted to take aim. Gale says, at every bound of the panther, Smith, who was on the tree, would raise and lower his gun until the animal was within thirty or forty yards, when he fired both barrels, whereupon the panther made a tremendous spring, landed within a few feet of the tree, and turned a somersault. Gale believed that some of the bones in his shoulder had been broken and that, although he was able to spring forward all right, upon striking the ground with the injured foot it gave way, because after every spring the animal turned completely over. ‘Wooten came running up and attempted to fire, when the panther sprang at him, again turning completely over. The animal then acted in a most peculiar manner, springing into the air and turning over, as Gale described it, ‘‘ like a hen with its head cut off.” Seeing he was no longer dangerous, Wooten and Smith ran up and finished him. He measured seven feet one inch in length, and was an old male panther, though not as large as they sometimes grow. * An account of this was given in the Jacksonville Metrofolis of May 11, 1895. THE BLACK BEAR. Tue Black Bear is still numerous in many parts of Florida, espe- cially near the coast. Contrary to what might be expected, it grows as large, if not larger, in Florida than elsewhere in the United States. I have killed old males which I believe weighed over five hundred pounds, and old hunters have repeatedly told me that they have killed them weighing six hundred pounds. Unfortunately, the above weights were estimated and the animals were not actually placed upon the scales. However, I am satisfied that there is at least one bear in Florida alive to-day (or he was last spring) which will tip 590 THE BLACK BEAR. 51 the scales at over five hundred pounds. Last year I carried scales with me and weighed several bears which I killed, but, unfortu- nately, none of them were very large. A comparatively small female weighed 350 pounds, and a male 411 pounds. This last bear was fat, but not as large as some I have killed. The largest bear I ever saw in Florida stood up in the scrub within twenty yards of me, and I had a fair shot at him, but for the first and only time in my life a Winchester rifle cartridge failed to explode. Before I had time to push the lever and throw in another cartridge he dropped out of sight in the high palmetto, and, although the dogs chased him for several miles, he swam the river and I never saw him again. A Black Bear will not attack a man unless badly wounded or with cubs, although, as the exception proves the rule, one large fellow charged one of my men, who rode ahead of him in open ground and tried to turn him by tickling him with small shot. Bears hibernate in Florida as they do elsewhere in North America, usually remaining hidden from about the last of December until March. In the spring they hunt for crabs along the shore and eat the young ‘‘ palmetto cabbage” and the seeds of the mangrove, called ‘* mangrove buds.” In June they hunt the beaches for turtles’ eggs, of which they are very fond. In the fall they subsist princi- pally on the palmetto berries, which grow in great abundance in the sandy lands bordering the ocean beach, and if not disturbed they remain in such places until it is time for them to house up for the winter. They then become very fat and are easily brought to bay by the dogs, generally running but a short distance. The flesh of a comparatively young bear is very palatable when properly cooked, and the fat makes a very satisfactory substitute for lard and is much esteemed by the Indians as well as by many of the white settlers. Good sport may be had hunting bears in Florida, but to hunt them successfully one must have a really good lot of hounds. One or two at least must be thoroughly trained ‘‘ bear dogs.” Bear dogs are not easy to find; still, one may be had now and then by paying a high price for him. There are plenty of dogs that will “take” 52 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. a bear’s trail and follow it for a short distance, but a good bear dog must chase a bear all day and bay him alone, if necessary, for hours until his master arrives upon the scene. Good horses are also an PAT AND GALE, WITH TRIP, DOC, AND TIGER. important factor. They should be trained to stand where they are left without tying, to be used to rough traveling in rough places, and not at all gun-shy. THE BLACK BEAR. 53 In December, 1893, I had particularly good sport in Florida, bagging four bears and chasing several others which I did not bag. Bears were unusually numerous in that locality where I was hunting, owing to the great abundance of palmetto berries and to the presence in the vicinity of two or three good water holes. The following extracts from my diary will give some idea of bear hunting in Florida under favorable conditions : — Dec. 8, 1893: To-day our shooting party consisted of three guns, — Count A., Mr. C., and myself, — having with us the usual outfit of men, horses, and hounds. To hunt bears luxuriously in Florida the outfit should consist of good saddle horses (used to the woods and not gun-shy), good dogs, and two men, one to follow the hounds and the other to act as general utility man, take mes- sages, and carry the lunch, water, etc., while the ‘‘ guns” of the party devote their entire attention and energies to heading off the bear or getting to the place where the dogs are baying him, the latter probably in some thick scrub where it is impossible to ride and where the hunter must dismount and push his way in on foot. Shortly after turning the hounds loose a chorus of exultant yells told us that they had found a fresh trail and were off. The wild shouts of Gale cheering on the dogs assured us that the bear had been started or ‘* jumped.” He ran for about a mile and then bayed in a very thick live-oak hummock. But before any one could get to him he was off again and did not stop until he had run at least two miles or more, when he again stopped in a thick, high scrub, and evidently made up his mind that he had run far enough. The bear was in a very thick place where the palmetto and small oak trees were higher than my head in places. I pushed my way up to where the dogs were holding their concert ; a short recitative by the leading hound being invariably followed by a full chorus, a dog called Blue carrying the high tenor part in fine style. When- ever there was a lull in the performance I could hear the bear pant- ing heavily not more than fifteen or twenty feet from me, but perfectly concealed by the thick scrub. Occasionally his bearship 54 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. made a short rush at the nearest dog, uttering a peculiar sort of rumbling growl or grunt as he did so. During one of these charges I saw him for an instant not more than twenty feet,from me, and shot him through the lungs with a bullet from my 45-70 Winchester. He immediately rose on his hind feet and turned towards me, receiv- ing another ball in the chest as he did so. Over he went, with the whole lot of dogs on him as he fell. I shot him once again, fearing that he might still be able to injure the dogs, but it was not needed. This bear was an old male and very fat. He weighed about five hundred pounds (estimated) and measured six feet two inches from nose to tail (straight line), and eight feet six inches from hind claw to nose ; around the chest he measured a trifle over fifty-four inches ; one of his front claws was three and a quarter inches long (measured on the curve) ; altogether, he was a pretty fair Florida bear. THE BLACK BEAR. 55 SaturpAy, Dec. 16, 1893: I hunted the large ‘ hammock ” where we lost the big bear yesterday. Tom Murray went with me, and Pat and Gale looked after the horses and dogs. Trip found a fresh trail of an old she bear and ran south with the other dogs for several miles before they finally ‘‘ bayed” her in a thick, high scrub. I could hear her growling and snapping at the dogs; but could not see her, and the next moment she was off again with the dogs at her heels. She ran south a mile or more; but we took the open beach, and, riding fast, headed her in a rather open bit of country with low palmetto scrub not far north of Cape Canaveral. Tom Murray rode in ahead of her, and she turned and passed within twenty feet of me, and I dropped her stone dead with a quartering shoulder shot. She was the first and only bear that I have ever killed with a single bul- let so dead as to not even kick after being hit. She was a very old female, although rather small, probably weighing less than three 56 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. hundred pounds. We extemporized a harness with a rope and some straps and Bob succeeded in dragging her out to the beach. The skull of this bear is now in the National Museum. TuEspAy, JAN. 2, 1894: Trip and one of the other dogs jumped a bear in a hummock, and I had a snap shot at him as he crossed a narrow strip of open ground, and think I wounded him slightly. He ran for a mile or more and then stopped in a thick bit of high palmetto. The day was hot and it was hard work following on foot through the thick scrub, and when I reached the place where the bear was fighting the dogs I was completely exhausted, and instead of going in at once I waited a moment or two to recover my breath. As I stood, gasping and dizzy, the bear started off again, and I had a good view of him as he jumped a fallen tree, and should have hit him, but my hand was too unsteady, and I believe I made a clean miss. In getting over the tree he rested his fore feet and then his hind feet on it, as a dog does going over a wall. After a few moments’ rest I pushed my way through the scrub to the beach, where I found Pat leading Bob. Hastily mounting, I galloped south for a couple of miles and heard the dogs ‘‘ baying ” in a thick piece of very high palmetto scrub, filled with small, dead oak trees which had evidently been killed by fire. The bushes were so high and thick I could not see the bear, but the dogs were close to me, and I knew they were close to the bear. I cheered on the dogs, hoping the bear would show himself, and he dzd. There was a rush and out came Trip and Brown, and the next instant I caught a glimpse of a black object directly under my horse’s nose. I tried to shoot, but a branch caught my arm, and Bob’s sudden start disconcerted me, and the next instant the bear had disappeared. I followed as long as I could hear the dogs ; but I soon lost them, and after riding about for an hour or more I gave it up and rode back to camp, where I found two of the dogs. Trip and Brown did not get back until late in the evening. Turespay, Aprit 3, 1894: The dogs found the fresh trail of a small bear and ‘* jumped” him near a small creek. He ran directly south and I never saw or heard the dogs after the first fifteen min- utes. Several hours later they all came back except Tige and THE BLACK BEAR. 57 Brown; they did not return until night. During the ride I startled a Barn owl (Str7x pratincola) out of a small tree, and saw an unusual number of Quail (C. v’rginranus), nearly all of which were in pairs. WEDNESDAY, AprRIL 4, 1894: Started very early and hunted faithfully for some hours, but the dogs failed to find a fresh trail. Bears are wandering about at this season of the year and do not stay long in one place. Saw several fresh deer tracks and dug out the old water holes where the bears go to drink. Two of them were nearly dry. Tuurspay, APRIL 5, 1894: As we drove down the beach this morning the sun was just rising above the horizon. The air was cool and damp. A few willets and turnstones were feeding along the beach, and flocks of Brown Pelicans (P. /uscus) passed us, fly- ing parallel to the shore, about two hundred yards from the beach. They flew in line, one behind the other, and they would all flap their wings or sail motionless, following the example of their leader. I intended to hunt some miles further south, but as we had made rather a late start I de- termined to look at some old water holes near by, hoping to find signs of bear in the vicinity. Leav- ing the wagon on the beach, I mounted old RATTLESNAKE. Bob, Quarter- man riding Doctor, while Gale and Pat followed on foot, leading the hounds. Shortly after reaching the edge of a wide marsh we 58 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. rode directly over a large rattlesnake which coiled and rattled, but did not offer to strike the horse as he stepped over it. I dismounted and shot its head to pieces with a rifle bullet; first taking several snap photographs of it, holding the kodak as close to its ugly head as I dared as it lav there rattling and ready to strike. It was a thick, heavy snake, although not a very long one, measuring five feet, nine inches. It had nine rattles and a button.* Upon reaching the water holes I found one of them dry, but there was water in the other and a large bear had visited it within a few hours. His tracks were very plain and fresh in the soft mud and sand about the hole. The dogs got away well together, Trip and Tige leading, followed by Brown and the others. Several of my dogs will run a bear well for a short distance, but will not fight or bring him ‘to bay” by biting and snapping at his legs. Trip will follow a bear all day and bay him alone at times, and this was the case to-day. The dogs jumped the bear within ten minutes after being started, and he ran for about two miles to the north, Quarterman and I following along the marsh and keeping within hearing of the dogs and Gale. Gale’s yells to encourage the dogs could be heard when we could not hear the hounds. Soon after the bear turned to the southeast and we could hear nothing of the dogs or Gale. Quarterman rode further north, while I galloped south to an old trail through the scrub, on the chance that the bear might have gone that way. As I reached the trail I heard Trip, and a few minutes after saw the bear crossing a ridge about a hundred yards off, where the scrub was low and thin. I had a fair chance at him, but just as I tired my horse swerved just enough to spoil the shot, and the next minute he was off and away in a thicket where no horse could fol- low. Pat came up with Tige and Brown, and I put them on the fresh trail, which they eagerly took and went off giving tongue finely. Shortly after two, or perhaps three, of the dogs ‘* bayed” the bear in a small live-oak hummock, but he was off again before I could come up with them. It was now getting hot and three hounds came * Other photographs of living rattlesnakes will be found under the chapter on Florida snakes. THE BLACK BEAR. 59 back to us very much in need of water and overcome with the heat. On the marsh I met Quarterman and we went north again to a thick, high scrub where we hoped we might find the bear bayed. All the hounds had come back to us except Trip and Brown, and we did not know where they were or what direction they had taken. When Trip becomes tired he makes little noise. Just as we had about made up our minds that we had lost the bear IT heard Trip bark not two hundred yards from us, in some thick, high scrub. We went in on foot, leaving the horses on the edge of the marsh. We separated, keeping about fifty yards apart, although we, of course, could not see one another. Trip was obstinately silent and we could not locate the exact place where he was, but we were sure the bear was there somewhere, for if he had started off Trip would have made noise enough. After going a short distance through a most discouraging tangle of roots and bushes I heard Quarterman shout and the. a series of howls from Trip, that seemed to move rapidly south, and it did not need Quarterman’s yell of ‘« He’s off to the south” to make me hurry back through the scrub to where I had left my horse, mount him, and gallop as hard as I could to the old trail. There I found Gale and Pat and several of the dogs. Gale, who was riding Quarterman’s horse, shouted to me that the bear had just crossed the trail going south, followed by Trip all alone. There was just a chance that I might head him off on a trail leading to the beach, about half a mile further south, so away I rode as fast as I could make ‘*@ld Bob” go over the rough trail. I feared I would be too late, but I made it just in time, for, as I turned into the cleared path at a gallop, I heard Trip’s voice close to me, and out of the scrub came’ the bear not thirty yards distant, but behind me, so that I had to turn half around in the saddle to fire. It was a snap shot, but I dropped him in his tracks with a bullet through the shoulder. He was up again, however, in an instant, Trip hanging to him bravely. To dismount and fire two more shots from the Winchester 45 — did not take long, and the bear lay dead, with Trip biting and tugging at his flanks. This bear was an old male; I weighed him carefully, and he tipped 60 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. the scales at exactly 351 pounds. This was not at all heavy for the size of the bear. He was rather thin and in good running con- dition, which accounted for the long chase he had given us. He measured eight feet and four inches from hind claw to end of nose, six feet and two inches from nose to tail, forearm seventeen inches, and chest forty-seven inches. When fat he would probably have weighed nearly five hundred pounds. The width of his forefoot was six and a quarter inches. Monpay, APRIL 9, 1894: To-day I found a fresh trail of a medium-sized bear about five miles to the south. It was early, the ground was still damp, and the dogs were fresh and eager. Away they went in a bunch in full cry, Trip and Tige in the lead. Brown and Dan are down with the ‘‘ staggers,” and I miss Brown’s voice. I followed them the best I could, which was not very fast, as the scrub was thick. They ‘* jumped” the bear within five minutes of starting, and he ran due south, so I turned and rode for the open beach. Once out of the thick scrub, I galloped south for several miles before again taking the scrub, hoping to head the bear. After waiting for ten or fifteen minutes and hearing nothing of the dogs, I saw amanin the distance waving his hat. It was Gale, with the cheerful information that the bear had turned and gone north. Away I went up the beach to a trail some miles north of me, and as I neared it I heard Trip baying something, apparently all alone in a small hummock about half a mile away. The scrub was very thick and high, but, pushing my way through it I arrived within about two hundred yards of the spot, when, crash, away went the bear, show- ing himself for an instant as he dashed into a lot of high bushes, and I never saw him again. Ride where I would, I could not hear the dogs anywhere, or, rather, the dog, for Trip was the only one follow- ing him. The others had given it up and joined us, one after the other, as we rode back to the wagon. Just as I was starting home Trip came back to me, looking very tired and hot, and, I have no doubt, thoroughly disgusted. Three of the hounds have the ‘ stag- gers,” which often proves fatal in this climate. Their hind legs seem to be paralyzed, but they apparently suffer no pain. DEER. DEER hunting is by no means such easy work as one who has not tried it might imagine. Of course, deer are so numerous in some localities that any one who can shoot straight can hardly fail to kill one in a day’s hunt; but such places are becoming more rare year by year. Not so very long ago it was no uncommon sight to see eight or ten deer feeding on a prairie at one time, but such sights are rare nowadays. Deer are usually hunted in one of three ways (fire hunting not included, the latter being rarely indulged in by a true sportsman), 61 62 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. viz.: (1) Hunting on horseback and running the deer with hounds ; this method to be successful requires a party of hunters and some one to direct operations who is thoroughly acquainted with the country. (2) To ‘slow trail” them, which is usually the most satisfactory way to hunt them. A hound trained to follow a trail slowly and without barking is used, and must go slow enough to enable the hunter to keep within a few yards of him all the time ; sooner or later the deer is ‘‘ jumped,” usually within easy shooting distance. The third method is known as still hunting. To bea successful ‘* still hunter” requires keen eyesight combined with a knowledge of woodcraft and the habits and ways of deer which comparatively few white men possess. Indians always hunt deer in this manner, but they have been trained to it all their lives, and always hunt where they know there is plenty of game. A single deer may often be stalked and shot almost in open ground where there is only an occasional bush or clump of grass for cover. By keeping to leeward of the animal, and creeping forward while it has its head down feeding, and remaining perfectly motionless when it lifts its head, one may often approach within easy shooting distance. A deer, as a rule, shakes his tail before lifting his head. On one occasion I had approached within perhaps 125 yards of a buck in an open prairie when the grass was not over twelve or fifteen inches high. I was creeping along on my hands and knees, when he suddenly raised his head and looked directly at me before I had time to lay down in the grass. I remained perfectly still, and after gazing steadily at me for a moment he stamped once or twice, advanced a few steps and stamped again, but after examining me for some time he apparently came to the conclusion that I was part of the scenery and not dangerous ; whereupon he commenced to feed again. When a deer is stalked and sees something of which he is afraid he gen- erally utters a snort of alarm, and then away he goes, his white tail held straight up in the air, showing clearly as he bounds high over the bushes. If you have fired at him and he goes off with his tail down you may be sure he is badly wounded. I have shot at deer at long range and seen them: go away without raising their tails, but could find no signs of blood along the trail; yet upon following it for a short distance the deer would be found quite dead. Oftentimes a deer will bleed badly from a comparatively slight wound, and again be seriously wounded and bleed externally but -- little. The Florida Deer is smaller and varies slightly in color from the true C. virgtnianus. A full- grown buck will often not weigh over 110 pounds, although I have killed them considerably larger, and probably they occa- sionally (though rarely) approach in size their Northern relation. In Florida as elsewhere the bucks drop their antlers every year, usually about February. The rutting season occurs in Septem- 64 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. ber and early October, and the young are born in April and early May. The Indians burn the prairies early in the year, and deer are attracted to the ‘‘ burns” by the young and tender new grass. It is by using such methods and being expert hunters that they kill great numbers of these animals ; but I am glad to say but very little of the meat is wasted; what they do not sell, they smoke and keep for their own use. Notsr.—Two of the photographs of deer were not taken in Florida. The full-page photogravure represents a group of wild deer on the author’s preserves in Massachusetts. ALLIGATORS AND CROCODILES. ALLIGATORS. Tue largest alligator I have ever seen in Florida was killed near Enterprise, on the St. John River, and measured fourteen feet within a fraction of aninch. I have killed several alligators over twelve feet in length, and one which measured thirteen feet two inches, ALLIGATOR. which I shot on the St. John River near the mouth of the Wikiva Creek. Large alligators have of late years become rather scarce, although nearly every year I kill one or more which will exceed eleven feet. 65 66 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. One often hears marvelous stories regarding the size of alligators killed by this or that hunter ; but I do not believe that there exists to-day in Florida an alligator which will actually measure seven- teen feet in length. The head of an alligator killed on the St. Sebastian River in 1893, purchased by Mr. W. V. Rhoads, of Rockledge, Florida, is so much larger than any specimens I have ever seen that I did not for a moment discredit his statement that the animal measured when killed a trifle over sixteen feet in length. The alligator lays its eggs in the sand, where they are hatched by the heat of the sun, and the young alligators then collect in some small hole where the mother keeps watch over them. The piping, or grunting, as it is called, of the young alligator somewhat resem- bles the piping call of a hen turkey. It is imitated by the ‘‘skin hunter,” who is usually able to call to the surface almost any old alligator which may be lying within hearing distance. I have seen John Davis repeatedly call alligators to the surface of small ponds where there was no sign of one when we arrived. After two or three grunts, as it is termed (although the call does not re- semble a grunt at all), one or more alligators would rise to the surface and lay looking at us for amoment. The hunter has to shoot quickly under these circum- stances, as the alligator soon discovers the deception and will not come upa second time for any amount of grunting. The little alli- gators may be called to the surface in a similar manner and caught by hand or a small dip net. I have many times caught dozens of them in this manner by simply leaning over the edge of a bank under which were a large number of young alligators and ‘* grunt- ing” them to the surface, where they were seized and placed in‘a box, until nearly all of them had been captured. An alligator under fifteen inches is comparatively safe to handle, as their teeth ALLIGATORS AND CROCODILES. 67 are extremely small. Larger than that, they are sometimes inclined to be ugly and their small teeth cut sharply. Years ago the alligator was very destructive to dogs. Young dogs which went down to the rivers to drink often did not return, and the howling of a dog would instantly bring to the surface any alligator which might be within hearing distance. Hunting dogs while swimming streams and ponds were often killed or badly bitten by these animals; but at present so few of the large ones are left, and they have become so shy, that it is a rare thing to hear of dogs being in- jured by them. The alligator is often found on land some distance from water; in such cases it is well to keep away from its tail, as it strikes with great power and is capable of doing con- siderable injury. The danger from this is probably exaggerated. One method of hunting alligators which is quite commonly prac- tised is to pull them out of their holes under the banks of the rivers and on the borders of the ponds. When the water gets low enough at certain seasons of the year these holes may be found, and by in- vestigating them with the aid of a long pole, if the alligator is at home he will soon give signs of life, usually grunting and moving about. Oftentimes he will savagely bite the end of the pole when it touches him. A large hook, resembling a shark hook, is attached ALLIGATOR. 68 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. to the end of the pole, and a rope fastened to the hook in case the pole should break. The alligator may then be hooked, pulled out of the hole, and shot; but it frequently requires two or three men to accomplish this if it be a large one. While being drawn to the entrance of the hole he roars and bellows ina lively manner. I have taken several alligators in this manner which measured over eleven feet in length. When alligators fight with each other they attempt to seize the upper jaw. I once saw two large alligators fighting in a very shal- low pond; each made several ineffectual attempts to obtain the jaw hold without success. At last the larger one suc- ceeded in seizing his oppo- nent by the upper jaw and immediately rolled over and over, breaking his opponent’s jaw close to the head, killing him instantly. This is, I am told, the usual method em- ployed by alligators when fighting with one another. In localities where alliga- tors are much hunted they become very wary and shy, and lay with their heads to- ward the water, sleeping with ‘* one eye open,” and at the slightest sound they do the ‘‘ vanishing lady” to per- fection. A hunter paddles cautiously up some creek where he knows a large alligator some- times repairs for an afternoon siesta — one careless motion so that the paddle just touches the side of the boat and a loud splash in the dis- tance tells him his chance to kill that alligator has gone for that day. ALLIGATOR. ALLIGATORS AND CROCODILES. 69 The skin hunters kill alligators at night, using a light with which they are able to ‘‘ shine” their eyes. The alligator does not fear a light, and as the boat approaches within a few feet of the animal it is shot without difficulty. Thousands are killed annually in this manner, and their skins are shipped North or sold to intermediate dealers in Jacksonville and vicinity at the rate of ten cents per run- ning foot. The much more sportsman-like way of hunting the alligator is by ‘ still-hunting ” them in the daytime, paddling silently up the creeks and rivers, where at times they may be found asleep or sunning themselves on the banks. In places where they have been much hunted this is by no means easy to do. Where the alli- gators have not been disturbed they are tame and lazy, and I have passed within a few feet of several that gazed stupidly at me without attempting to leave the bank. A good rifle is the proper weapon with which to hunt alligators. I prefer a 45 Winchester, either 45-70 or 45-90, which has power enough to kill the animal and not merely wound it and allow it to escape and die. A shot striking the eye or any portion of the head so as to penetrate the brain is almost instantly fatal. Itis rare that a shot in the body will stop an alli- gator where he lies, and it is not advisable to shoot at the body if the head is exposed. The old idea that a rifle-ball would glance from the skin of an alligator does not apply to modern weapons. If a rifle-ball strikes fairly it will penetrate the skin without diffi- culty and will sometimes pass completely through the body. Before closing my remarks on large alligators I will refer to an entry which I once saw in the register of the Brock House. In the old days, when transportation was more difficult than it is at present, the Brock House was about the end of civilization and was a twenty-four hours’ trip by boat from Jacksonville. It was at that time a great resort for sportsmen, who were attracted there by the fishing and shooting to be had in the vicinity. The old register, which extended back a great many years, contained some queer records, some of them of doubtful veracity. Among others, some one has written : ‘‘ March 19, 1872, killed a large alligator, the largest seen here this year ; the stomach contained a boot, a piece 70 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. of pine wood, a fisherman’s float, and some small fish.” Jmmedi- ately beneath this record was another which evidently some wag had added : ‘*March 24, killed a much bigger alligator than the one mentioned above. The stomach contained a gold watch, $10,000 in government bonds, and a cord of wood.” On the next page, written in a neat, unobtrusive style, was inscribed the follow- ing: ‘*Shot the biggest alligator ever known in Florida ; the stomach contained the remains of a steam launch, a lot of old rail- way iron, and a quantity of melted ice, proving that it existed during the glacial epoch.” CROCODILES. Tue crocodile occurs in the rivers and bays of extreme South Florida, but is seldom found far from salt water, rarely being found CROCODILE. in any of the fresh water streams. It may easily be distinguished from the alligator by its narrow snout and the holes in the end of the ALLIGATORS AND CROCODILES. 71 upper jaw into which the two front teeth of the lower jaw enter. As a rule, it lives in the bays and inland creeks which abound in the southern portion of the State. Passing through some of these creeks, where the banks are one or two feet above high water mark, numbers of their well-worn slides may be seen, where they climb out on the bank to sleep and sun themselves. It is claimed that the crocodile cannot be hunted at night, but as I do not hunt in that manner I have no personal knowledge of the subject. The hunters claim that the crocodiles will not look at a light and that they cannot ‘« shine their eyes,” as they can those of an alligator, which is lucky for the crocodiles, as they are not very numerous even now. Crocodiles grow to a larger size than the alligator. At one time HEAD OF CROCODILE. they were numerous in Indian Creek, Biscayne Bay, and also in Arch Creek in the same locality, but they are not as plenty now as formerly. Further south, through Card Sound and below, is the present home of the crocodile in any numbers, and the intricate net- work of islands and lagoons makes it very difficult for any one except a professional hunter to find them. The largest crocodile I have ever killed measured thirteen feet eight inches in length. I 72 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. shot him in a small creek near Card Sound, in the spring of 1895, and saw another at that time which I feel certain was at least two feet longer than his companion. An old hunter by the name of William Freeman told me he saw a crocodile in a shallow creek near Card Sound, and, as he could see the animal perfectly, tried to form an approximate idea of its length by pacing the bank of the creek par- allel with the croc- odile. He stated that he believed this crocodile would measure at least nineteen feet. Such estimates are of comparatively little value except to show that there are larger crocodiles in South Florida than have as yet been killed; and it is fair to assume that there are crocodiles in Florida to-day which will measure seventeen feet or more in length. The skin is not as dark as that of an alli- gator, being slightly variegated, lighter and darker in places, and the animal when asleep on the bank appears to be clay colored, rather than black, as in the case of the alligator. The large one which I killed looked ashy gray as he lay on the bank about fifty yards from me. CROCODILE. TURKEYS. WHERE turkeys are numerous a great many are trapped every year by the native hunters by methods which do not redound to the intelligence of the turkeys. A place is found where they are in the habit of ‘‘ using,” as it is called. Corn is scattered about, and, if that is eaten, more corn is placed there the next day. They are fed in this manner for a week or more, until the turkeys become accus- tomed to going there for food. Then small logs are laid, forming a square box about six or eight inches in height ; possibly two logs on each side, one above the other. In this is placed the corn, and the turkeys enter it readily, as the obstruction is not sufficient to make them fear any harm. The next night another log is added on the four sides, raising the box gradually, perhaps a foot or so each night, until the small logs form a cone-shaped box, narrowing at the top, leaving an opening of perhaps a foot or eighteen inches by which they can enter at the top. Corn is placed in the box anda few kernels leading to it, as usual, and the turkeys, mounting the last log, enter it and eat up the corn. The opening has now become so narrow that, although a turkey can easily jump down through it with closed wings, it is impossible to jump out of it with wings spread. I have tried this method on one or two occasions, but with- out success, although I have no doubt as to the truth of the state- ment, which is vouched for by a number of old residents and hunters. Another style of trapis a log pen with a large tunnel under one side. The turkeys follow the corn through the tunnel and do not attempt to go back the same way, but run about the sides of the pen, poking their heads through the openings between the logs. Turkeys are still numerous in some parts of Florida, although they have been practically exterminated in many localities where they were once common. They are gregarious and usually prefer 73 74 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. a well-watered country, roosting in a swamp or on the borders of some stream or pond. When a native hunter discovers a roost he conceals himself near it at night and often kills nearly the entire flock, shooting the under ones first, so that the dead bird in falling will not alarm the others. In the springtime the gobblers may be ‘‘ called” by imitating the plaintive piping of the hen, and this is a common method of shoot- ing them. Usually a quill is used to imitate the call, but some hunters can produce it with their fingers and lips. The hunter con- ceals himself and calls softly until the gobbler approaches near enough to be seen and killed. Occasionally a flock of turkeys will be found feeding in the open ground, and they usually fly to some heavy timber and perch themselves high up among the top branches, affording a good chance for rifle practise. In following a turkey’s trail the hunter must keep up with the dog and go as fast as the nature of the ground will permit. A turkey will usually run for some distance ahead of a dog before attempting to fly, and if the hunter follows fast enough he will stand a good chance of getting within shooting distance before he ‘‘ jumps.” I have seen many a fine gobbler go soaring away two or three hundred yards ahead of me which I probably could have killed had I kept within easy shoot- ing distance of the hounds. When the dog shows by his actions that the turkey is only a short distance ahead that is the time that the hunter must use good judgment. Now the turkey must be ‘ flushed” or made to fly, but not until within shooting distance. If not pushed the turkey will often run a long distance ahead of the dog and perhaps escape in some impen- etrable swamp. When the scent gets very warm let the dog hurry a little, but not go so fast that the hunter cannot keep close to him. The turkey, hearing the dog close behind and finding he cannot escape by running, goes into the air with much heavy flapping of wings, and if the hunter is sixty or seventy yards behind his dog he is probably a hundred or more away from the turkey, and his chances of bagging that gobbler are extremely slim. TARPON FISHING. Day was just breaking when Will and I pushed our boat from the wharf. It was a typical Florida spring morning, with the usual gorgeous cloud effects so common in these latitudes; the whole eastern sky was banked with crimson clouds shading softly into the pale blue higher up where the cloud banks suddenly ceased. Gradu- ally the changing colors paled and paled, fading into dull gray and white as the sun rose higher and showed his fiery edge over the tops of the low mangroves on the key opposite. The bay was as smooth as a pond; the water being scarcely rippled by the light breeze which bore to us the faint chattering and whistling of a flock of blackbirds on the keys opposite, and we could distinctly hear the voices of two men in a boat far over near the other shore, a mile or more away. We passed several low oyster bars, which are usually covered at high tide, and just beyond one of these Will stopped rowing and, nodding his head towards the reef, said: ‘‘ Do you see the deep water just to the south of that bar? That is where I saw several tarpon yesterday — and there goes one now.” I looked quickly in the direction he was pointing and caught a momentary glimpse of a large fin cutting the mirror-like surface of the water; a dull gleam, and then all was quiet save for the gradually widening ripples which marked the spot where the great fish had risen. “* Quick,” cried Will; ‘‘ throw well out ahead of that ripple and if he takes it give him plenty of time before you strike.” Swinging the heavy rod backwards, I made a strong cast and the line, weighted with half of a mullet, ran freely from the reel. It was a good throw and the piece of fish struck the water not twenty feet from the spot where the tarpon had risen. Loosening the line and seeing that it ran freely under the leather thumb check, I waited. 75 76 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. Will cut up small pieces of mullet and threw them over the water in different directions, while I anxiously watched the line. Five min- utes passed, ten minutes — suddenly my line began to run from the reel with a strong, steady movement. «« Steady,” cried Will; ‘‘ give him time to get the bait down his throat. Don’t strike too quick. Now give it to him. Vow! Now!” Holding the rod firmly with both hands, I checked the reel and struck hard, so hard that the stout rod bent with the strain, and TARPON. instantly, with a tremendous rush, a huge silver, gleaming monster flung himself completely out of the water, shaking his head savagely. Down he came in a splash of white foam, and it required no warning cry from Will to make me brace myself for the rush TARPON FISHING. "7 which we knew would come. The stout rod bent like a reed, and the carefully tested line sung from the reel in spite of the strong friction of the leather check pressed firmly against it; but the strain was too great to last, and the line ran out slower and slower and presently the reel ceased to turn; but with a strong, steady pull the great fish moved steadily on, towing our boat: rapidly behind him. TARPON. Suddenly the bent rod straightened with a spring. It needed no cry from Will to tell me the fish had doubled and was headed towards us. I heard -him grunt as he threw his weight on the oars, and, holding my rod firmly, the butt well braced, I awaited the coming strain. Almost instantly it came. Again that stout old rod bent like a bow and the reel hummed, and again, shaking his head savagely, the tarpon threw himself fully two feet above the water. 48 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. és Never shall I forget the scene which followed. Never, if I catch a thousand of his kind, do I expect to see a more magnificent fight for freedom than that grand fish made in his struggles to rid himself of the barb within his jaws. Once, twice, four times he cast his whole length into the air in his mad struggles. The water foamed and boiled as he fell and sank, to almost immediately reappear, hurling himself high into the air, shaking his head as a dog shakes a rat, his blood-red gills showing in striking contrast to his gleaming silver body. As he sank for the fifth time the strain on the line ceased ; turning the reel, there was no resistance, and I heard a sigh from Will. “¢ He’s off; it can’t be helped; but wasn’t he a dandy? ” I said nothing, for I was sadly disappointed. To have had a fine tarpon hooked for fifteen minutes, and then to lose him was dis- THE LEAP OF THE TARPON. couraging ; but, as Will said, it could not be helped, and the only thing to do was to try for another. So, rowing back to our original position, we baited the hook with a fresh and enticing bait, and set- tled down quietly to wait. TARPON FISHING. 79 Perhaps twenty minutes had passed when again something took the bait and moved slowly away with it. I struck, hard, and as I did so a huge tarpon hurled himself twice out of the water not twenty yards from the boat, and immediately started off across the bay. Holding the rod high up, I gave it all the strain I dared; but despite it all, the splendid fish towed us fully half a mile before showing any signs of fatigue. Slowly and gently I ‘*reeled him in,” as the strain relaxed, until we could : see him not more than ten feet from us. Gradually I ce drew him nearer and nearer, while Will leaned over the ag side of the boat, holding in his hand a huge gaff, which, the next moment, was fast- ened in the side of the tarpon. SEES oESREON: A short struggle and a large specimen of the most magnificent game fish in the world lay on the bottom of the boat, glittering brilliantly in the sunlight, one sparkle of silver, blue, and gold. As I wished to preserve the skin and the day was warm, Will advised returning home at once; so we turned the boat and rowed back, having had sport enough for one day. Although larger fish are often caught, my first tarpon proved a good one, measuring six _ feet one inch in length, and weighing 120% pounds. HUNTING GROUNDS OF FLORIDA. To those who do not desire to rough it, but wish to have an occasional outing with the gun and dog, Florida offers the rather unusual combination of very good sport in the immediate vicinity of comfortable hotels. From Jacksonville it is but a short distance to the mouth of the St. John’s River; and in the vicinity of Pilot Town, and Mayport, A ‘*POINT’’ ON QUAIL. and about Fort George Islands, fair bird shooting may be had at the right season. Plover and yellow-legs abound during the migrations, and,in the old days Talbot Island was an especially good place for curlew. With good dogs and a guide who knows the country, fair bags of quail and snipe may be made within easy driving distance of either Jacksonville or St. Augustine. A few bears and deer still linger in the swamps between Jacksonville and Pilot Town, but for Bo HUNTING this kind of shooting one should go farther South into a more unsettled country. Quail are abundant throughout Florida. The best quail shooting which I have ever enjoyed I had at what is known as Dago Prairie, about fif- teen miles from Enter- prise, on the St. John’s River. Enterprise at one time was noted for its ‘ GROUNDS OF FLORIDA. 81 TOM quail-shooting. On one occasion, using three dogs, I found fourteen coveys, and killed eighty-two birds with a twenty-gauge gun, reach- ing the hotel before dark. This occurred several years ago, and probably better sport may now be had in the flat woods west of Lake Worth or south of Tampa. I merely mention Lake Worth and Tampa as there are good hotels at both places, but as far as the quail shoot- ing is concerned it may be had almost everywhere in South Florida. ROBIN AND PRINCE ‘‘ POINTING ’’ QUAIL. 82 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. Dogs are absolutely essential to successful quail hunting. Of course, while driving through the woods, if a flock is ‘‘ flushed” a few may be killed by kicking about in the bushes where they are seen to alight, but I personally am not partial to this method of quail hunting, as I am always afraid that I might kick a rattlesnake instead of a quail. It is well to take a good dog with you from the North, as well-trained dogs are very scarce in Florida. A fast dog that ranges well is the kind most adapted to quail hunting in Florida, which is usually done trom wagons or on horseback. When a wagon is used it is driven slowly through the ‘* flat woods ” until the dogs, who cover the ground well and ‘‘ range wide,” as it is called, find a covey of birds. Then the hunter leaves the wagon, shoots what he can out of that covey, and drives on to seek for another. ; In the old days Sanford was not in existence, and a little town called Mellonville (located a short distance south of the pres- ent site of Sanford) was the only town on the west side of the lake. A line of steamers was then running from Enterprise up the St. John’s River, passing through Lake Jessop and Lake Harney to Salt Lake and part of the time beyond that as far as Lake Poinset, but the line was discontinued years ago. Quail and snipe are still abundant along the shores of the upper St. John’s in favorable localities, and in past years alligators were numerous, but these last have nearly all been killed off. Of course a few are left, but they are very shy, and a large one is of rare occur- rence. Deep Creek, which was at one time a famous turkey country, joins the St. John’s River near where it enters Lake Harney, directly opposite what is known as Cook’s Ferry. The bass fishing near Lake Harney and on Lake Jessop has HUNTING GROUNDS OF FLORIDA. 83 always been excellent, and is probably so still, although the shad fishers, who of late years have been using a seine near Lake Mun- roe, have injured the fishing to some extent. Bass have been taken from Lake Jessop which weighed over thirteen pounds, and there is a record of one being caught in a small lake in Northern Florida which weighed nineteen pounds. Of course these are the Large- mouthed Black Bass, and not its Northern congener, the small-mouthed species. The St. John’s River is usually navigable as far as Salt Lake, but above that it is often choked with floating water plants. Occasion- ally a small boat can go nearly to Lake Washington, but beyond ROBIN AND PRINCE. Lake Poinset it is difficult to force a passage through the water plants, which are so rarely disturbed that they grow in a mass very difficult to penetrate. Above Lake Jessop, on the prairies bordering the river, snipe shooting is particularly good at some seasons, and all through the country between St. John’s River and the Indian River quail and snipe are abundant in the season. A few ducks may nearly always 84 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. be found along the St. John’s River and in and about the small lakes which abound in the interior. Following down the coast from Jacksonville, we come to the well- known shooting grounds near Oak Hill, although, as I have re- marked before, any one desiring to simply hunt quail and snipe may get fair sport at almost any of the small towns on the line of the road. At Oak Hill there is a small hotel kept by Frank Sams, who is also the proprietor of the hotel at New Smyrna. Oak Hillis situated at the head of the Indian River, and fine duck shooting may be had there at times. Deer may also be killed in this vicinity, although they are not as plenty as formerly. There are parts of the old Turnbull Swamp where turkeys are still common enough, but difficult to get at, and one or more bears are usually killed by hunters from Oak Hill in and ‘about the swamp during the season. The country below Oak Hill on the east coast is the property of the Canaveral Shooting Club and is not open to the public. Ducks are numerous, as bears were also at one time, but I have assisted in reducing their number considerably in that locality. From Titusville southward there are many places on the Indian River where good duck shooting may be had. In the vicinity of the Ten Thousand Islands the duck shooting is sometimes very good. At one time ducks came in great numbers to pass the winter on the east.coast of Florida, attracted there by an abundance of their favorite food. A bag of one hundred birds in a day’s shooting over decoys or ‘‘ stools” was not uncommon. I must plead guilty to hav- ing done this myself on one or two occasions, but none of the birds were wasted, and I am glad to say that I have many times killed HUNTING GROUNDS OF FLORIDA. 85 twenty-five or thirty ducks in a couple of hours and stopped shooting when I could easily have killed many more than one hundred had I desired to do so. Early in the season, when the ducks first arrive, immense numbers are killed by the ‘‘ pot hunters,” who use heavy guns and shoot into the flocks when bunched together in the water. Of course such continual slaughter must necessarily reduce the DUCK SHOOTING WITH DECOYS. number of ducks which annually visit Florida, and already it is evi- dent that their numbers are materially lessened, although they still return, each year, in vast numbers. At some of the small Indian River towns it was by no means unusual to see large flocks of ducks ‘¢ bedded” within a short distance of a wharf, where shooting was prohibited. They soon learned that they were safe there and paid no attention whatever to the people who stood and watched them 86 HUNTING AND FISHING A BIG BAG. IN FLORIDA. from the shore within easy shooting distance. But those same ducks, when out on the river, would not allow a boat to approach within gunshot of them. The most common species of duck on the Indian River is the Bluebill or Blackhead, but ‘there are others.” The Widgeon and Pintail are abundant, and the Shoveller, Blue and Green-wing Teal, Ringneck, and Ruddy Duck are also common. Gadwells and Black Ducks (both Northern and Florida) are not uncommon in places, while various other species oc cur more or less commonly, according to the severity of the Northern winter. re WILD DUCKS, 6a et ape Sea Nc MMSE: tm HUNTING GROUNDS OF FLORIDA. 87 Along the beach between Indian River and the ocean is a par- ticularly fine hunting ground for bears. They are common in many localities, but trained dogs are required to hunt them suc- cessfully. A few deer also occur in that country, but for deer it would be better to go into the interior, and one can nearly always get a guide at any of the smaller towns. Ten miles from the north fork of the St. Lucie River was at one time a particularly noted hunting ground, and during my first visit to that locality game was very plenty. It was at St. Lucie in 1885 that I had my first experience with what is known in Florida as a shooting match, where the prize WILD DUCKS. is a bull or cow, which is rounded up and driven in from the ‘* bush ” for the occasion. ‘‘ Alligator” Jim Russell was a particularly noted character at this time, and was also considered a very good shot. He and the Payne boys and two or three others, whose names I have unfortunately forgotten, took part in this contest. Each contestant paid a dollar to the owner of the animal and was allowed five chances. The target was a piece of bark fastened to a tree, about one hundred yards distant. We first competed for choice of the ‘*hind quarters,” each man shooting once and the one hitting nearest the center of the bull’s eye being adjudged the winner. We then tried again for the re- maining hind quarter, and again for the choice of the fore quarters, 88 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. and-so on, the last and fifth prize being the hide and tallow. <‘ Al- ligator ” Jim Russell was the life of the occasion, discoursing upon the great numbers of enormous alligators he had killed and the wonderful shooting he had done; but on this occasion his wonted skill failed him, and the writer succeeded in winning three of the four quarters, so that our boat had fresh ‘‘ beef” (forgive me, thou shades of Chicago bovines,) for several days in consequence. There is at times very good fishing at Indian Inlet, which is nearly opposite Fort Cap- ron, and the long, narrow, sandy peninsula which separ- ates the Indian River and the ocean is covered with pal- metto scrub and scattered hummocks in which small game (and large, also, for that matter) is abundant in places, but of course one must know the country to have good sport. Turkeys are not found on the peninsula, but bears, deer, and an occasional panther may be killed by those who ‘* know how” and are willing to work. Small game, such as wildcats, coons, and opossum, are very numerous. I do not, as a tule, allow my young hounds to run wildcats, but occasionally, when other game was scarce, I have put the older dogs on the track of a cat to give them arun. Cats have a habit of running in a circle, going over the same trail again and again, unless they are hard pushed. Some- WILD CAT CLIMBING A TREE. HUNTING GROUNDS OF FLORIDA. 89 times they run straight for a long distance and then take to a tree. At other times, espe- cially in South Flor- ida, they often do not attempt to climba tree at all, and I have killed a number of cats on the ground where the dogs had run them into a thick place, sometimes di- rectly at the foot of a large tree, when they have made no attempt to climb it. On one or two occasions my large bear dog, Tiger, has caught a cat on the ground and killed it alone, usually getting somewhat scratched in the encounter, but none of the other dogs have cared to attempt this feat. On one occasion I heard the dogs com- ing towards me, as I stood in a small, sandy opening, and obtained a rather crude photo- graph of a wildcat with WILD CAT. go HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. AFTER A WILD CAT. not quick enough. I have seen good-sized coons run up a small bush when closely pressed and no large trees were handy. On one occasion the bush was not high enough to be out of reach of the dogs, and they soon had him down. An- other time the dogs discovered two coons in a small open prairie, and for a few moments they had a lively time, as a full-grown coon knows how to bite and is a good fighter. the dogs in full chase as she passed me in the open. Coons are very num- erous, but usually only wander about at night, al- though I have occasionally seen them on the edge of the mangrove swamps in the daytime. Young dogs often find them while hunt- ing for other game. A coon will climb a tree when he has a chance, if he hears the dogs near him; but sometimes he is LARGE WILD CAT. HUNTING GROUNDS OF FLORIDA. gI Opossums are common almost everywhere, but they are rarely seen, being nocturnal in their habits, although I have occasion- ally found one in the woods in the daytime. They move away very slowly, and if touched will curl themselves into a ball and play dead. They are rather ugly little beasts, however, and can bite viciously if one is care- less enough to give them RACCOON. a chance, although they may be held up by the tail and will keep perfectly still, «‘ playing ’possum,” as the old saying is. Opossums RACCOON. are a nuisance to any one who desires to catch specimens of the smaller Florida rodents, as they are always getting into the traps. Following the Indian River through the Narrows, we reach Jupiter Inlet, noted as a fishing resort, and then a few minutes by train brings us to Lake Worth, known to the Indians by the name of Hypo- luxo. At Palm Beach the fisher- man may obtain the finest kind of sport, together with the comforts of a good hotel. At the Hotel Royal Poinciana g2 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. boats and men may be obtained by those desiring either fresh or salt water fishing. The sport, especially for Kingfish, can hardly be excelled, as catches number- ing as high as 120 fish or more have been taken by one boat ina day. Va- rious other kinds of salt water fish are caught in great numbers, including Bluefish, Spanish Mackerel, Sea-bass, and at times the huge Jew-fish. For Black Bass fishing the fresh water lake west of Lake Worth is of easy access, as a shell road has been built directly to it. South and west of Palm Beach lies a hunting country ‘par excellence.” Beyond the lake, in the country west of Palm Beach, from Jupiter Creek (Loxahatchee) south- ward, game is still abundant. From Lantana, on Lake Worth, one may drive on the country road (which extends to Biscayne Bay) south to Hillsboro River, a distance of about twenty miles, and find good deer shooting in that vicinity. If one desires a camping trip along the Ever- glades, he should leave the. county road about half way to AN UNFAIR FIGHT. OPOSSUM. HUNTING GROUNDS OF FLORIDA. 93 the Hillsboro River, at a place opposite the government life-saving station. There is an old pump in the road at this place, and Robert Osceola used to camp there a few days every spring while deer hunting. Leaving the road and riding southwest some five miles, one passes between the upper and lower chain of lakes, and this crossing is the only one suitable for wagons for a distance of thirty miles. The swampy lakes are connected by a little creek called Little Fish Crossing. From this point it is less than a mile to the old government trail which runs north, crossing Jupiter Creek (Loxahatchee), and south until it joins the county road, about two miles north of Cypress Creek. Old marks of the ax ‘‘ blazes” may still be seen on the trees, and occa- sionally a wagon track where some hunter or cattle- driver has followed the old trail. Sand- hill Cranes, turkeys, and quail are abun- dant throughout this country; but bears are rare and panthers keep themselves to the edge of the Everglades in the heavy timber. Parties desiring to hunt this country would do well to have their wagons meet them on the old government trail west of Lake Worth. They could then hunt the country south, coming out on the county road near Cypress Creek. There is only one bad crossing, and that is at the head of the south fork of the Hillsboro River. The country to the west of the old trail is ‘‘flat woods ” and hummocks, interspersed with cypress ponds, which become more plentiful as we near the Everglades. Many of these ponds are not A GREAT DAY FOR KINGFISH. 94 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. ‘‘ boggy,” and may be «cressed-anywhere on horseback ; but others are not to be trusted. Any pond may be safely crossed in which the low bush grows which, as Jack Davis describes it, ‘‘ favors a small pine.” South from Hillsboro, a distance of about twelve miles, we cross Cypress Creek, at the head of which is an old Indian Camp owned by Osceola, where the Indians build their THORNTON’S CAMP, HILLSBORO RIVER. canoes, the cypress trees in that vicinity being particularly large and fine. Cypress Creek is noted for the abundance of turkeys in that vicinity, and alligators are still numerous in its waters, which may be accounted for by the fact that it is not navigable for boats, being shallow and filled with logs. It also has the reputation of HUNTING GROUNDS OF FLORIDA. 95 being a particularly good location for large rattlesnakes. At times panthers are common here. I have seen the tracks of three panthers made the same night near Cypress Creek bridge; two of the ani- mals crossed the bridge and followed the sandy road for some distance. From Cypress Creek to Middle River is about four miles. Middle THE OLD PUMP. River joins Snook Creek about a mile to the east of the county road, and both empty into what is now called New River Sound. From Middle River to Snook Creek is about one mile by the 96 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. county road. The fishing in Snook Creek is very fine at times, as both Black Bass and various salt water species (Snapper, Cavalier, etc.,) are numerous. Three miles south from Snook Creek by the county road we reach New River, where one finds a comfortable camp owned by Mr. Frank Stranahan, and usually passengers bound for Biscayne Bay stop over night at this point. The canal has lately been completed as far as New River, and the railroad will THE EDGE OF THE EVERGLADES. next year be extended to Biscayne Bay. At present a stage ride from Lantana to Lemon City, Biscayne Bay, occupies nearly two days. When the railroad is finished the trip may be made in two hours. These improvements, which will make the country so very easy of access, will have a decided influence on the hunting and fishing. New River (New-la-pee) flows east and enters into New River HUNTING GROUNDS OF FLORIDA. 97 Sound, which, in turn, opens into the ocean five miles farther to the south. New River is very deep in places and is one of the best localities on the coast for manatee. It is the favorite hunting- ground of the Indians when they desire to kill one of those ani- 3 . JOHN DAVIS. mals. Several of the Indians have permanent camps on New River. Tom Tiger, Robert Osceola, Jumper, Old Tom, Old Charlie, and Tom-a-luske all have camps there. In the upper 98 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. north fork of the river fine bass fishing may be had, and there are usually a few ducks about, but there is very little else in the way of game, deer and turkey being scarce in that vicinity. Continuing south from New River, again following the county road, a drive of thirteen or fourteen miles takes one to Snake Creek (Car-chee-pap-kee) ; then comes Arch Creek (Char-to-fee-na), A SAND HILL CRANE’S NEST. and next Little River (She-la-coo-ho-co-chee), which is about twenty-four miles from New River, and about a mile from Lemon City on Biscayne Bay. There is very little game in this country except quail (and ducks in some places), which are common enough, but the country is not HUNTING GROUNDS OF FLORIDA. 99 one which gives promise of much sport in the way of large game hunting. After passing Snake Creek the country becomes high and rocky, and one begins to notice a variety of butterflies which have not been seen before, and in the hummocks through which the road passes pretty yellow and white tree-snails are not uncommon. The country between Lemon City and Miami is high and rocky. Quail are abundant, and ducks are numerous at certain seasons in DEAD SHARK, NEW RIVER INLET. Dumbfoundland Bay and Indian Creek. This creek was at one time a favorite resort for crocodiles; but they have lately become shy and are rarely seen. 100 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. The Miami River, which runs from the Everglades into Biscayne Bay, is probably the only river in Florida which has a fall or rapid worthy of the name. For about a half a mile at the head of this stream there is considerable fall. At this point the river is shallow and not navigable for boats, and has a very rapid current, in which ‘* Cavalia” (Caroux hippus) are numerous and may be taken with an artificial trout fly. At the head of the Miami River the great Everglade swamp opens out before one like an immense, shallow, grassy lake. Throughout the Everglades numerous islands, large and small, are scattered about. Some of them are several miles in extent and very fertile, but, luck- ily for the Indians, they are very difficult of access, which has prevented them from being occupied by white men up to the present time. In the fall the water in the Everglades is high enough to allow the use of canoes and small boats, but in winter and spring it gradually lowers until boat navi- gation is difficult, and in many places impossible, and the character of the ground is such as to render it useless to attempt any other means of locomotion. The Indians go from the east coast to the Big Cypress Swamp during the summer and fall in their canoes. This can only be done when the water is high and under the guidance of a person who thoroughly knows the country. From New River to Biscayne Bay and the southern end of Florida there are several good men, able to guide a hunting party, and who know the country well. Among them may be mentioned William Freeman, who lives at Little River, about a mile from Lemon City. HUNTING GROUNDS OF FLORIDA. IOI For the country between New River and St. Lucie River, and, in fact, including the Biscayne Bay country, there is no better guide than John Davis, who has lived almost his entire life in the woods, and is THE MIAMI RIVER RAPIDS. one of the few real hunters and trappers who could be called a thor- ough woodsman. Where the county road crosses the Hillsboro River, the only settler in that vicinity, by name William Thornton, is 102 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. sometimes willing to act as guide for parties who desire deer hunting, and last year he had one or two fair dogs. While on the subject of hunters I cannot leave out my old hunting MIAMI RIVER. companion, Mr. O. A. Quartermain, who is, in my opinion, the best hunter on the Indian River, and his record of fifty-one deer and fourteen bears in one season is a hard one to beat. Of late years HUNTING GROUNDS OF FLORIDA. 103 he has done but little hunting, and at present has charge of the life- saving station at Chester Shoals, Fla. On the keys about Biscayne Bay beach birds are numerous, and JOHN DAVIS. 4 quail are abundant in the pine woods. The birds are plenty enough, but the rocky country is a bad one for dogs. The fishing in Bis- cayne Bay, or in its vicinity, is particularly fine, and just outside the 104 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. bay among the reefs is probably one of the finest fishing grounds on the Florida coast. Tarpon are abundant in the bay and run up many of the rivers. Of course the Tarpon is the king of all Florida game fishes, and phlegmatic indeed must be the man who does not feel a thrill of excitement when the magnificent fish hurls himself completely out of the water again and again, shaking his head savagely in his frantic efforts to dislodge the hook. May and June are the best months for Tarpon fishing ; but good sport may be had in April and sometimes in March, and a few fish are taken during the winter months by patient and enthusiastic fishermen. ‘Tarpon are numerous in Biscayne Bay, and very fine fishing may sometimes be had at Steamboat Creek at the south end of the bay. All kinds of fishing may be had in and about Biscayne Bay. Kingfish are unusually abundant; perhaps the very best placefor King- fish is near the black and white channel buoy off Cape Florida. For those who enjoy bottom fishing and want large fish and plenty of them, I would advise them to try in the vicinity of Alligator Reef Lighthouse, where the fishing is most excellent. Crocodiles are to be found in Biscayne Bay, but in most cases they are very shy and difficult to shoot. Continuing farther south from Card Sound into Barnes Sound, crocodiles are more numerous and not nearly so shy. From Cutler going south, the road, if it may be called one, is very bad, and one enters a country which is rarely visited by a white man. It is rocky pine land, bordered by a low and wide marshy prairie and occasional mangrove swamps. In these prairies deer are abundant and very tame. They are rarely hunted, as but few white men have ever been in this country, and it is too far away from any settlement for an Indian to carry out game to sell. Deer are numerous and wolves commence to appear in some places east of Whitewater Bay. A few panthers wander about this country, but they are not numerous. In some of the ponds and marshes alli- gators are plentiful, and many of them are large, as that country is seldom visited by hunters. Deer and bears were at one time com- mon on the larger keys, but there are few left on them now. HUNTING GROUNDS OF FLORIDA. IO5 Southeast of Cape Sable is about the only place where flamingoes still exist in Florida in any numbers, and a colony or two of them breed there every year. This is a country very difficult of access, and the birds are very shy and are rarely seen, much less killed. On the Bahama Islands, only a short distance from the Florida coast, there are colonies of thousands of flamingoes, and their eggs are gathered in numbers by the inhabitants. Itis probable that the Florida contingent is occasionally reenforced from the Bahamas, although the bird was at one time undoubtedly common in Florida. Water-birds are abundant about some of the keys. A few pelicans, cormorants, gulls, and man-o’-war hawks may be seen almost any time, as well as ducks and an occasional heron. In some places on the west coast game is very abundant. We hear of the abundance of game in the country about the Steinhatchee River; but I know but little of it personally and cannot vouch for the truth of the statement. From Cedar Keys southward there is plenty of game, but the country is rather difficult of access. Near such well-known places as Homosassa and Tarpon Springs deer and turkeys are numerous in some localities ; but they do not come out of the woods and wait to be killed, and one has to have a guide who knows the country, as well as properly trained dogs, to insure a suc- cessful trip. Tampa has grown to the dignity of a city, and naturally large game has been driven back, but fine bags of quail and snipe are made by the guests of the hotel, and guides and dogs are furnished those desiring to indulge in the sport. Arthur Schleman, who is at present located at Tampa, owns several dogs and knows the country about Tampa. There are several small rivers near Tampa, and fair shooting may sometimes be had. An occasional deer and turkey still linger. Alligators are also to be found, but, as in other portions of Florida which have become settled, they are not numerous and are very shy. Good fishing may be had within a short distance of Tampa by those who care for it. For Tarpon, one must go farther south to get good sport, and it should be borne in mind that nowhere is the Tarpon 106 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. fishing really good until quite late in the season. Occasionally good- sized fish are caught during the winter months, but it is well known that Tarpon do not bite well until the warm weather sets in. A good many Tarpon have been caught near the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River and above Fort Myers near Beautiful Island. I have enjoyed good fishing at Captiva Pass opposite Pine Island ; here Tarpon are sometimes very numerous and other kinds of fish are plentiful enough. South of Ostero Bay at Big Hickory Pass is one of the best fishing grounds in Florida, and several men have had excellent fly fishing at this point. Mr. George Mixter, of Boston, Mass., was kind enough to give me the following list of the species he has taken at Hickory Pass, using a large silver-bodied fly : — Sea-trout (Cynoscian maculata). Redfish or Channel Bass (Sccoena ocellata). Cavalia (Caroux hippus ). Rovallier or Snook (Antropomus undecimalis ). Spanish Mackerel (1S. maculatus). And I believe he has since taken others. The huge Jew-fish (Zpenephelus nigritus) is common about Ostero Bay, and in Surveyor’s Creek Tarpon are numerous in their season. At Big Shark River Mr. Mixter tells me he succeeded in making a very small Tarpon take a fly. He used a large silver-bodied speci- men and fished during the flood tide, which at that point runs like a mill-race. For those who are devotees of the harpoon, the great Devil-fish (Manta birostrzs) and the various sharks will afford them all the sport in that line they desire. Probably the finest food fish in southern waters is the Pompano ( Trachinatus ornatus), which is very numerous along the coast of Florida, but which is rarely taken with hook and line except at Key West, where, curiously enough, it is often taken in that manner. Some years ago the writer made a trip from Fort Myers up the Caloosahatchee River into Lake Okeechobee, Fish-eating Creek, and other places, and then continued on up the Kissimmee River to HUNTING GROUNDS OF FLORIDA. 107 the town of that name. The country in the vicinity of Lake Okeechobee was at that time filled with game. Deer, turkeys, cranes, and alligators were very numerous. Quail and snipe were to be had in numbers, although they were as not plenty as they are sometimes farther north, in the country about Lake Kissimmee. Ducks were not numerous and were confined to two or three species. Southeast from Fort Myers about seventy-five miles, lies the Big Cypress Swamp, which is the hunting ground of the Seminole Indians. This is to-day one of the best localities in Florida for all kinds of large game. The advent of the white man is not looked upon with favor by the Indians, and they do not encourage his presence in what they believe to be their country. The best way to get to the Big Cypress hunting grounds is by wagon from Fort Myers; but I am informed it may also be reached by going up the Chockeloskee River as far as it is navigable by boat and then mak- ing a ‘‘carry” of about three miles. I have never made this trip and cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information. After the middle of April the mosquitoes become very troublesome on the Keys; but the weather is most delightful, and the fishing im- proves with the warm weather. Northwestern Florida is rarely visited by the sportsman, but those who have hunted in that portion of the State claim that game is abundant. Ducks and beach birds are at times plenty in the vicinity of St. Joseph’s Bay and also about Santa Rosa Island and Pensacola Bay. Turkeys and deer are claimed to be very abundant in some of the counties to the north of Cedar Keys, but they are rarely visited and there is little accommo- dation for the traveler. At present such fine shooting may be had in places easy of access that there is little to tempt one to explore these out-of-the-way localities; but a day will come when North- western Florida will have to be sought by the hunter who desires good sport. In the vicinity of Tallahassee the country and climate is delight- ful, and fair quail shooting is to be had within driving distance of the city. Farther to the west, however, deer and turkeys are 108 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. numerous. Onone occasion, when stepping off the train near Mossy Head, I saw several wild turkeys offered for sale by some negroes, who claimed they were very common, and also that deer were plenty in that part of the country. THE MAMMALS OF FLORIDA. Famity FELID. Tue,Cars. FELIS CONCOLOR FLORIDANA.: ‘Suds. Nov. Panther, Cougar, Puma. Nor uncommon in the unsettled portions of the State. The Florida Panther is apparently separable, at least, subspe- cifically, from its more Northern congener, which it resembles in general marking, but differs in being more rufous or reddish brown in color, and in having the legs relatively longer and the feet de- cidedly smaller. A most noticeable character in the Florida animal is the small size of the foot. Several Northern examples which I have exam- ined have the foot at least four inches broad, while those of a Florida specimen of equal size would not exceed three inches. A female which I killed in April, 1895, measured about seven feet from nose to tip of tail, and her forefoot measured two and seven eighths inches in width. In a Colorado specimen of about the ‘same length the foot measured four and one eighth inches at the widest part, and another specimen three and seven eighths inches. * It is rare that a Florida Panther exceeds nine feet in length, although it is claimed that they occasionally grow larger. Both Maynard and Chapman mention hearing of a large, spotted, long- tailed cat, and suggest the possibility that it might be Fel/s onca. I have never met with an Indian who had seen or heard of such an animal. There is, however, an animal still living (or he was in April, 1895,) in Florida, whose tracks are at least a third larger than any Florida Panther I have ever seen. However, if he is ever killed (and I hope to sometime see his * A young Panther cub is tawny brown in color, marked with numerous large, irregular, brownish-black spots. ‘The cry of the cub resembles the screech of a Parrot, but it often utters a soft whistle. The cry of the old Panther somewhat res2mbles the screech of a Parrot, but is much louder. 109 TIO HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. snarling face over the sights of my rifle), he will probably prove to be a very old and unusually large male Fels concolor floridana. Panthers kill many small mammals, as well as deer, when they can get them. They are very fond of hogs, and a good place to look for a panther is in the vicinity of some drove of semi-wild pigs. When once a panther becomes a “‘ pig eater” he prefers pig to any other kind of food. LYNX RUFUS FLORIDANUS (Raf). Florida Wildcat. Common. Some specimens are large and spotted on the sides and flanks, and are more rufous than Northern specimens. I have killed one old male which measured forty inches from tip of nose to tail, and stood twenty inches high at the shoulder. Famity CANID. THE Wo.Lves aAnp Foxes. CANIS LUPUS GRISEO-ALBUS (Ziun.). Wolf. Still not uncommon in some localities. In the vicinity of the Big Cypress and in extreme Southern Florida wolves _ still occur in some numbers. A wolf was seen in the spring of 1895 near Little Fish Crossing, southwest of Lake Worth. They are usually black, although examples have been killed which were brown, shading into gray on the belly and breast. I have heard of gray wolves in Florida, but have never seen one. Robert Osceola killed a female with two cubs near the Big Cypress in the spring of 1894. He captured the little ones alive and took them to his camp; but they would not eat, and, after keeping them a day or two, he killed them. The mother and both pups were black. UROCYON CINEREO — ARGENTATUS (JZu//.). Gray Fox. Common. Florida foxes are somewhat smaller and grayer on the back than those found farther north. THE MAMMALS OF FLORIDA. IIil Famity MUSTELIDE. THE WEASELS, SKUNKS, ETC. PUTORIUS ERMINA PENINSULAZ (&/vads.). Florida Weasel. As far as I am aware but two examples of this interesting mam- mal have as yet been recorded from Florida, one from Pasco County (the type), and the other from Gainesville, by Mr. Chapman. LUTREOLA VISON (Schreder). link. Probably not uncommon, but rarely seen. I have specimens taken near St. Augustine, and Mr. Maynard gives it as ‘‘ very plenty on the coast near Cedar Keys,” and states that he saw one at Blue Springs. LUTRA CANADENSIS (Schreéder). Otter. Still very common in some localities, but becoming less so every year. MEPHITIS MEPHITICA JSazrd. Common Skunk. This skunk seems not to be uncommon in Northern Florida ; it is rare as far south as Titusville, and the Indians claim it does not occur south of New River. Some specimens are comparatively small and nearly black. SPILOGALE PUTORIUS (Zznx.). Little Striped Skunk. This pretty little species, which is about the size of a kitten, is very common in some localities on the east coast. I found it numer- ous near Cape Canaveral, and specimens have been taken as far south as New River. Dr. Merriam records a specimen from Kis- simmee Prairie (N. A. Fauna, p. 7, No. 9, 1890). This little skunk is very fond of mice, and it is often tamed and kept about houses for the purpose of clearing them of those ani- mals. In some instances the scent glands are removed, but not always. Iam told they soon become very gentle and tame. II2 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. Famity PROCYONID. THE Raccoons. PROCYON LOTOR (Zznz.). Raccoon. Common. Somewhat smaller and more rusty in color than North- ern specimens. In Florida the raccoon likes swampy places ; it is usually com- mon near the seacoast, as it is particularly partial to crabs and fish. Famity URSIDE. Tue Bears. URSUS AMERICANUS ali. Black Bear. Most common near the seacoast in unsettled portions of the State. The Florida bear equals and perhaps exceeds in size its Northern relative. Bears are claimed to have been killed which weighed over six hundred pounds, and I, myself, have shot specimens which would weigh in the vicinity of five hundred pounds. One large male which I did not weigh measured fifty-six inches (tight measure) around the belly, and six feet two and one half inches from nose to tail. This bear was fat and in good condition. One of the claws measured three and one fourth inches, measured on the curve. The Black Bear hibernates in Florida, as it does elsewhere in the United States, usually remaining hidden from about Christmas time until March. The flesh of a young one is palatable, and the oil is much esteemed by the Indians and hunters, and is used for cooking purposes as a substitute for lard. Late in the fall bears seek localities where berries of the ‘* scrub” palmetto are abundant, in some seasons.’ When berries are abund- ant the bears become very fat. After their winter sleep they wander about a good deal, feeding upon the crabs which they find on the beach and the buds of the mangrove trees, as well as the cabbage of the palmetto palm, and at this season a pig is a welcome addition to their larder. Still later in the season, during June, they hunt the beaches for turtles’ eggs, of which they are very fond. THE MAMMALS OF FLORIDA. II3 Famity CERVIDE. Tue DEER. CARIACUS VIRGINIANUS (Sodd.). Deer. Deer are still very numerous in the less settled portions of the State. The Florida deer is a small Southern race of the Virginia species. A full-grown buck will often weigh less than one hundred pounds, and I have killed yearling bucks which weighed under ninety pounds. Of course it is not unusual to find considerably larger specimens, but the average Florida deer is small. I have been told that deer have been killed in Northern Florida which would weigh nearly two hundred pounds. The bucks drop their horns about the first of February. Famity MANATID-E. Tue MANATEEs. TRICHECHUS LATIROSTRIS arian. Manatee. The manatee occurs commonly in many of the bays and rivers of South Florida. It lives equally in salt and fresh water, going into the rivers to feed on the grass, and, as some authors claim, the leaves of the mangrove trees. They were at one time abundant in the St. Lucie River, anda number have been captured alive in that river in rope-nets made for the purpose. Although of such great size, it is a gentle, harmless animal, very timid and shy. The flesh is much esteemed by the Indians, and also by some of the white inhabitants. The Indians kill a number of them each year in the vicinity of New River. They harpoon them in the rivers or in the ocean near the mouth of some river. The Florida manatee is very similar to that found in Central or South America, and perhaps should not be recognized as a dis- tinct species. The manatee grows to an immense size, sometimes attaining a length (it is claimed) of fifteen feet. The skin is very coarse II4 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. and thick and is covered with scattered coarse hairs. When not frightened or suspicious it generally rises to the surface to breathe at intervals of from one to two and a half minutes. Famity VESPERTILIONID. Tue Bars. ARTIBEUS CARPOLEGUS Gosse. Leaf-Nosed Bat. A. carpolegus Chapman. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., p. 342, 1894. A. perspicillatus H. Allen. Bats N. A., p. 93, 1893. Nose with leaflike membrane; general color ashy brown; expanse of wings, 12.50 to 14. A single specimen recorded from Key West by Mr. C. J. May- nard (Bull. Essex Inst., Salem, Mass., Oct., 1872, p. 144, Vol. IV., No. 10), as Artzbeus perspicillatus. According to Mr. F. M. Chapman (Bull. American Mus. Nat. Hist., p. 341, 1894), the Cuban species is Artzbeus carpolegus, Gosse, and not perspic- tllatus, differing from that species in the absence of conspicuous facial streaks, and in its smaller size. CORYNORHINUS IMACROTIS (Ze Conte). Big-Eared Bat. Ears very large; fur soft, dark at base with lighter tips; under parts of body pale; expanse of wings, 9.50 to 10.75. Recorded by Dr. Harrison Allen (Bats N. A., p. 58), from Florida, a single specimen having been taken at Micanopy by Dr. Bean. VESPERTILIO GRYPHUS. / Cuz. Little Brown Bat. Small; general color brown, showing a tinge of olive in some lights; the basal portion of the fur (concealed) is dark plumbeous ; face whiskered; expanse of wing, 8 to 9.25. Recorded by Dr. Rhoads (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., 1894, ) from Tarpon Springs, ‘‘ Several specimens taken.” THE MAMMALS OF FLORIDA. II5 ADELONYCTERIS FUSCUS (Beauv.). Brown Bat. General color light brown, paler below; expanse of wings, 9.50 to 10.50. Common in Florida. VESPERUGO CAROLINENSIS (Geof). Carolina Bat. A small, pale-brown bat; expanse of wings, 8 tog. Probably common. Recorded from the Suwanee River by Mr. Chapman, and from Tarpon Springs by Dr. Rhoads. NYCTICEJUS HUMERALIS af. Twilight Bat. Dark brown above, paler below; expanse of wings, 7.75 to 9.50. Recorded by Mr. Rhoads from Tarpon Springs, and by Dr. H. Allen. DASYPTERUS INTERMEDIUS eters. Fulyous Bat. A rather large bat, pale tawny brown in color; expanse of wings, 12 to 13. Recorded by Dr. Harrison Allen (Bats N. A., p. 138, 1893), from Davenport, Florida. ATALAPHA BOREALIS (JZu//.). Red Bat. A. noveboracensis auct. A. borealis Mull. Rhoads, Proc. Phil. Acad. Sci., p. 156, 1894. Fur pale yellowish at base, tipped with reddish brown, and ashy ears notedged with black; expanse of wings, 10.75 to 11.75. Numerous specimens of bats identified as this species have been taken in Florida. Mr. F. M. Chapman records it from Gainesville and the Suwanee River, and Dr. Rhoads obtained specimens from Tarpon Springs which he identified as Atalapha borealis pfeiffert (Gundlach) ; but the Cuban form is brighter colored than the true borealis, while Florida specimens are darker. 116 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. The Florida form of this bat seems to be entitled to at least sub- specific recognition, and several writers have already stated this to be the case, but no one has yet taken the trouble to christen it. ATALAPHA CINEREA (Beauv.). Hoary Bat. Fur dark brown tipped with silvery gray; ears marked with black; expanse of wings, 12.50 to 14.50. Recorded by Mr. Chapman from Gainesville (Bull. American Mus., Nat. Hist., p. 343, 1894). NYCTINOMUS BRASILIENSIS Js. Geof. House Bat. General color, pale seal brown; expanse of wings, 10 to 11. Common in some localities. Famity SORICID. Tue SHREwS. BLARINA BREVICAUDA CAROLINENSIS (Bach.). Southern [ole Shrew. No ears visible; tail short; general color slaty gray, often silvery on under parts. Length of body without tail about 3.50; tail about.75. A specimen was taken by Mr. C. J. Maynard, near Miami, and another by Mr. Chapman at Gainesville. BLARINA CINEREA (Zach). Cinereus Mole Shrew. Small; no ears visible; color slaty gray, slightly paler on under parts. Length of body, without tail, about 2.50; tail about 1. Mr. Chapman states (Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., p. 342, 1894), a badly preserved specimen in alcohol from Indian River, is pro- visionally referred by Professor Baird to this species. BLARINA EXILIPES Baird. Small-Footed Mole Shrew. Small; general color dark slaty gray, under parts nearly the same as above. Length of body alone, 3.50 to 3.75; tail alone, about .75. THE MAMMALS OF FLORIDA. 1147 First recorded from Gainesville, Florida, by Dr. C. Hart Mer- riam, from a specimen taken from the stomach of a barn owl. Specimens have since been taken near Enterprise, by Mr. Brownell. Famity TALPIDAZ. Tue Motes. SCALOPS AQUATICUS AUSTRALIS Chapman. Florida Mole. No ears visible; feet very large; fur pale seal brown with a sil- very gloss; tail very short. Length of body, without tail, about 5.503 tail, .50 to .70. Common in many localities. Mr. F. W. True does not consider Scalaps parvus, Rhoads, as separable from this species (Chap- man, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., p. 343, 1894). Famity LEPORID. THe Hares anp RABBITS. LEPUS PALUSTRIS Bach. Marsh Rabbit. Abundant in Northern Florida. It may easily be distinguished from the Highland rabbits by its small feet, and dark brown color, and dark tail, showing no white. LEPUS PALUSTRIS PALUDICOLA (Afiler and Bangs). Southern [Marsh Rabbit. This is the marsh rabbit of Middle and Southern Florida. It is similar to the preceding species, but is somewhat smaller and darker in color, and is now generally recognized as a subspecies. LEPUS SYLVATICUS Bach. Gray Rabbit. Highland Rabbit. Common in Northern and parts of Middle Florida. It may easily be distinguished from the swamp species by the wAz¢e on the tail, its longer legs, and larger feet. 118 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. LEPUS SYLVATICUS FLORIDANUS A//en. Southern Gray Rabbit. Very similar to the preceding species, but darker and somewhat smaller. It is common throughout Middle and Southern Florida. Famity GEOMYID. Tue PoucHED GoPuERs. GEOMYS TUZA (Ord.). Florida Gopher. Salamander. Very common, usually inhabiting the pine woods, where it lives in holes. The natives call the land turtle (Gopherus polyphemus, Daud.), a ‘‘ gopher,” and this is often confusing, as both animals live in holes and often in the same localities. Famity MURIDZE. Mice anv Rats. NEOTOMA FLORIDANA Say. and Aud. Wood Rat. A large, big-eared rat, grayish brown above and whitish beneath ; feet white; length, including tail, 14 to 15.50; tail, 6 to 7.25. Rather common in some localities, and is supposed to be gener- ally distributed through the State. I have seen many nests of this species and trapped a number of specimens near Cape Canaveral. It prefers the heavily wooded hummocks. MUS RATTUS Zzzn. Black Rat. Above, dark slaty black; under parts dark gray. Size very variable; an average specimen will measure from 13 to 15 inches’ in length, including tail. The Black Rat is not common. Specimens have been taken near Titusville, and Mr. Chapman records it from Enterprise (four spec- imens taken by Mr. Brownell). This species was introduced into THE MAMMALS OF FLORIDA. I1g America about the year 1554, but it has been nearly exterminated by the Norway Rat. MUS ALEXANDRINUS Geof. White Bellied Roof Rat. A large rat, rather grayer in color than decumanus and whiter on the under parts. Zhe tarl 7s usually longer than the body. ‘This is the common rat usually to be found in houses and stables. MUS DECUMANUS al/las. Norway Rat. A very large rat, brown above, grayish white’ beneath ; ¢az/ rarely as long as the body. Claimed to have been introduced into America about 1775. The only Florida specimens I have seen of this species were taken in Jacksonville. It is probably confined to the larger towns and cities and not found elsewhere. SIGMODON HISPIDUS Say. and Ord. Cotton Rat. Fur, dark brown, tipped with tawny; under parts grayish white ; length, including tail, about 9.50; tail, about 3.50. Abundant in Northern Florida, being replaced in Middle and Southern Florida by the next. SIGMODON HISPIDUS LITTORALIS Chapman. South Florida Cotton Rat. Similar to the preceding, but decidedly darker; length, includ- ing tail, 9.50; tail, 3.50. Common in Middle and South Florida. ORYZOMYS PALUSTRIS NATATOR Chapman. Florida [Marsh Rat. Rather large; above brown; dusky white beneath; length, in- cluding tail, about 12; tail, 5.50. Recorded from Gainesville, Enterprise, Micco, Smyrna, and Flamingo. I20 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. MUS MUSCULUS Zinn. House Mouse. Small; brown above; pale brown beneath; length, including tail, about 5 to 6; tail, 2.50 to 3. Abundant throughout the State in the vicinity of human hab- itation. REITHRODONTOMYS HUSILIS Aud. and Bach. Harvest Mouse. A small, dark brown mouse; length, including tail, about.5 to 5.75; tail, 2.25 to 2.60. This species is apparently not common. It has been taken at Enterprise and Tarpon Springs. SITOMYS NIVEIVENTRIS (Chapman). Ground Mouse. Above, pale brownish drab; whitish beneath; others, yellowish brown above; whitish beneath; length, including tail, about 5.30; tail, 1.75 to 2. Common in many parts of Florida; abundant near the coast. SITOTYS NIVEIVENTRIS SUBGRISEUS Chapman. Old Field Mouse. Darker than xvezventr?es ; brown above, under parts white; length, including tail, about 5.20; tail, 1.60 to 1.90. According to Mr. Chapman, it inhabits the interior, being re- placed in the sandy lands, bordering the ocean, by the preceding species. It frequents old fields. SITOMYS FLORIDANUS (Chapman). Big-Eared Deer Mouse. flesperomys floridanus Chapman. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., II., 1887, p. 87. flesperomys macropus Merriam. N. A. Fauna, No. 4, 1890, P: 53+ THE MAMMALS OF FLORIDA. I21I Sitomys floridanus Chapman. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., VI., 1894, p. 336. Above, brownish gray, shading into fawn color on the sides ; underparts white; length, including tail, about 7.50; tail, 3 to 3.50. Probably not uncommon, although but few specimens have been taken. It has been recorded from Enterprise, Gainesville, Citronelle, and at one or two points on the Indian River and at Lake Worth, the latter being Dr. Merriam’s type of S. macropus. SITOMMYS AMERICANUS GOSSYPINUS (Ze Conte). Deer Mouse. Brown above, whitish beneath; length, including tail, about 7 ; tail, 2.50 to 3.25. Abundant frequently in the hummocks. Mr. Chapman (Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., VI., 1894, p. 336), considers Sztomys megacephalus, Rhoads. (C. F. Rhoads, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., 1894, p. 254) as inseparable from this form, stating that specimens in his series ‘* practically match them both in size and color.” SITOMYS AUREOLUS (Wagn.). Golden Mouse. General color, golden brown; the underparts are white; length, including tail, 5.50 to 6.25; tail, 2.25 to 2.go. Specimens have been taken by Mr. J. Robinson, at Gaines- ville, and by Mr. C. J. Maynard at Dummits Grove, on the Mos- quito Lagoon. ARVICOLA PINETORUM (Ze Conte). Le Conte’s Pine Mouse. Ears nearly concealed; upper parts reddish brown; under parts slaty gray; tail very short; length, including tail, 4 to 4.75; tail about .75. I22 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. Audubon records this species from Florida (Quad. N. A., p. 219, Vol. II.) NEOFIBER ALLENI. 77we. Allen’s [Muskrat. Round=-Tailed Muskrat. Fur long and soft; above, glossy, dark brown; under parts white, showing a slight brownish tinge; length, including tail, 13 to 15; tail, 4.50 to 5.50. This species is abundant on the peninsular east of the Indian River, and is apparently not uncommon in many portions of the State. It has been recorded from Gainesville and Enterprise in the interior. I found it common and captured a dozen specimens near the head of the Banana River. The common muskrat (/7ber zibethicus) and the beaver (Castor canadensis), may occur in Florida, but have not as yet been taken in the State. (Chapman; Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., VI., 1894, P- 334-) Famity SCIURIDA. Tue Squirre.s. SCIUROPTERUS VOLUCELLA (Gme/.). Flying Squirrel. Common in suitable localities. I have several specimens taken near Jacksonville, and it has been taken at Enterprise and Tarpon Springs. Length, including tail, g to 10; tail, 4.50 to 5. SCIURUS CAROLINENSIS Gmel. Southern Gray Squirrel. ‘* Cat Squirrel, ”’ Smaller and more rufous than the Northern gray squirrel ; length, including tail, 14 to 15; tail, g to 10. Common. SCIURUS NIGER Zinn. Southern Fox Squirrel. Common in some localities; frequents pine woods. It varies much in color, some specimens being almost entirely black. Asa THE MAMMALS OF FLORIDA. 123 rule, the head is black, the back gray, and the under parts tawny ; length, including tail, 21 to 24; tail, 14 to 15. Famity DIDELPHID®. THE OPossuMs. DIDELPHIS MARSUPIALIS VIRGINIANA (Xe77). Opossum. OPOSSUM. Abundant throughout the State. It is nocturnal in its habits, and, therefore, although so common is rarely seen. The Porpoise (Phocena phocena L.) and the Dolphin ( Zursiops turs‘o L.) occur on the coast of Florida, and the former occasion- ally enters the rivers. REMARKS ON SOME OF THE FLORIDA SNAKES. Tue snakes of Florida may be divided into two classes, the venomous and the non-venomous. Out of the large number of species known to occur in the State but four may be classed as venomous, and two of these are so small as to be harmless, unless handled or touched with the hand or bare foot; a third, the cotton- mouth moccasin, is by no means a common species; and the fourth, the well-known diamond rattlesnake, although exceedingly venom- ous, is luckily not aggressive, and unless irritated or touched, will rarely attempt to strike. All venomous snakes have grooved or perforated fangs in the upper jaw; in some permanently fixed, in others erectile, but always showing the aperture through which the poison is ejected. Non- venomous species have fixed teeth in the upper jaw in which there is no groove or poison duct. The venomous snakes which are found in Florida are as follows : — CROTALUS ADAIMANTEUS Beauv. Diamond Rattlesnake. Unlike the cotton-mouth moccasin the diamond rattlesnake is not naturally vicious or aggressive, preferring rather to avoid man than to attack him. It is a very dangerous snake, however, as its ‘ bite ” nearly always proves fatal. Alcohol and stimulants will often pre- vent any serious results from the the bite of Western and Northern rattlesnakes (C. horridus), but these remedies have not proved efficacious in cases where persons have been bitten by the Florida species. In very large snakes the fangs are often three quarters of an inch, or more, in length, and they strike with much force. When 124 REMARKS ON SOME FLORIDA SNAKES. 125 in the act of striking the snake coils and usually rattles, but it does not always do so. Its manner of striking is described by S. Weir Mitchell (who has made a most careful study of the species), as follows : — ‘« The snake throws himself into a spiral, and about one third of his length, carrying the head, rises from the coil, and stands up- RATTLESNAKE ABOUT TO STRIKE, right; then his head and neck are thrown far back, his mouth is opened wide, the fangs held firmly erect. The blow is a stab, and is given by throwing the head forward, while the half coils below it are straightened out. As the fangs enter, the tem- poral muscles close the lower jaw on the ‘part struck and force the sharp fangs deeper in. At this moment the poison duct is opened by the relaxation of the muscle which surrounds it, and the same muscle which shuts the jaw squeezes the poison gland and drives the venom through the duct and hollow fang into the bitten part.” 126 .HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. There is no known antidote for crotaline poison (as the venom of the rattlesnake is called). Dr. L. Stejneger, of Washington, once suggested to me that a solution of cromic acid or bichloride of gold, injected hypodermi- cally about the wound, might prove efficacious. As crotaline poison is claimed to act directly on the medulla, it would seem necessary to stimulate the heart’s action with the hope of tiding over the paralyzing effects of the poison.* This might, RATTLESNAKE PREPARING TO STRIKE, perhaps, be accomplished by the use of strychnia, to be given, I should say, in doses of one fiftieth of a grain, repeated every half hour, if there are symptoms of heart failure. Of course, it goes without saying that every possible effort should be made to procure the services of a regular physician. If a person should be bitten by a rattlesnake the wound should at once be opened to produce a free flow of blood. Ligatures * Dr. Calmette, a French physician, claims to have attained good results by the use of hypochloride of calcium. He also claims to have immunized animals by minimal subcutaneous inoculations of attenuated poison and states that the serum of such vaccinated animals possessed strong specific antidotal properties against the poison with which they had been vaccinated. — Annales de l’ Inst. Pasteur, May, 1894, and April, 1895. REMARKS ON SOME FLORIDA SNAKES. 127 should be applied above and below the wound to retard, as much as possible, the poison entering the circulation. A strong solution of permanganate of potash * might be injected deeply into the wounds made by the fangs. If that could not be obtained, carbolic acid might answer, the object being to cauterize the wound and prevent, if possible, the absorption of the poison. A good, stiff dose of brandy or whisky should be given, with a view to counteracting the ill effects on the nervous system produced by fear. Strychnia might then be given internally, and the heart action watched closely. If the patient can be kept alive and conscious for twenty-four hours there is a goodchance of recovery. In India the English gov- ernment not long ago offered a large sum of money as a reward for the discovery of an antidote for cobra poison. A French physician suc- ceeded in saving a certain percentage of small mam- mals which had been bitten by a cobra, by hypodermic injections of pure chloride of lime (chloride of calcium), one part of the chloride to eleven parts of water, and also made use of stimulants. How this treatment would succeed in the case of a rattlesnake is ques- tionable. Contrary to the general idea, the Indians have no antidote for rattlesnake poison. I have talked with many, and they assure me that if an Indian is bitten by a rattlesnake (which they rarely ever are) ‘*he no get well.” Some very large rattlesnakes have been killed in Florida. I have * Hypochloride of calcium would be indicated in preference to permanganate of potash, if it could be used at once. t 128 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. seen several over six feet in length, and one which measured seven feet one inch. I have been told that a snake was killed on Anastasia Island which measured nearly nine feet in length. SISTRURUS TUILIARIUS (Zinn). Ground Rattlesnake. A small snake, rather common, but not often seen, as it keeps well concealed in thick places and under old logs. It is poisonous but its fangs are small. Ordinary antiseptic treat- ment of the wound and a rather free use of stimulants usually prevents serious results. This snake rarely exceeds two and a half to three feet in length. The back is marked with black and red and it has a button on the end of the tail, but no rattles. Although this little rattlesnake is common in Florida very few of them are seen during the cold months. AGKISTRODON PISCIVORUS (Zinz.). Moccasin, Stump=Tail Moccasin, Cotton-fouth Moccasin. This is a water snake, fully as venomous as the rattlesnake, and much more vicious. They are not common, however, and are rarely seen. I have killed specimens over five feet in length; but it is somewhat unusual for them to attain that size. One killed at the mouth of Moccasin Creek, Banana River, measured five feet two inches. It is a dark-colored snake, the under parts blotched with black and yellow. Young specimens are brighter colored and some- what resemble in color A. contortrix, but the copperhead has not as yet been recorded from Florida. Like most of the venomous snakes, it has fangs, but no teeth on the upper jaw. Its poison is similar in its action to crotaline, and should be treated in a similar manner. If bitten by a poisonous snake, the wound should receive immediate attention. Ligatures applied (for a time) above and below the bite, cutting the wound to make it bleed freely, and the rather free use of whisky may perhaps be recom- mended while awaiting the advice of some regular physician. 6 REMARKS ON SOME FLORIDA SNAKES. I29 The small chance of seeing a poisonous snake, much less being bitten by one, is, perhaps, well illustrated by the fact that such hunters as Quartermain and Davis care nothing for snakes, although they have hunted for many years in Florida, often with bare feet, in the most ‘‘ snaky localities.” It should be remembered that there are several species of so-called water snakes, which are often seen on the banks of streams and ponds, none of which are poisonous. ‘They are blackish and dark brown generally, with indications of marking on the back. These harmless varieties are the kinds which are usually pointed out by the natives as the dreaded Water Moccasin. ELAPS FULVIUS (Zinz.). Harlequin Snake, This pretty little species is conspicuous on account of its transverse bands of yellow, red, and black. It is a small snake, and for many years was considered harmless. It is poisonous, however, and has two very small perforated fangs; but, unlike other venomous snakes, it has both fangs and teeth on the upper jaw. There are several cases on record where persons have died from the effects of a bite from this snake, and there are also numerous instances where people have been bitten and suffered no ill effects whatever. Still, we know that in some cases the bite of the Harle- quin Snake as proved serious; so it is just as well not to treat the little fellow in too familiar a manner. There are three species in Florida which resemble each other so much that any one but a specialist would probably consider them to be identical. They are very different, however, belonging to differ- ent genera; although their general color and appearance is somewhat similar, the colors are differently arranged. The present one, which is the only venomous one of the group, has a roundish head, with the eyes on top, while the others have the eye on the side of the head. One of them has a very pointed head. The non-venomous ones are as follows. They have teeth on both jaws, but no fangs. 130 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. OSCEOLA ELAPSOIDEA. (Holbrook). CEMOPHORA COCCINEA. (Slumenbach). This last is the fellow with the pointed head, and is not uncommon in some parts of Florida. Dr. Einar Lonneberg says,* ‘‘ The bites of harmless snakes may become dangerous from several reasons. (1) Common blood poisoning that can happen with any wound. (2) Poisoning with the poison from the skin of toads, in cases of bite by species feeding on those animals, as I have often observed that it is possible for some of the secretions from the poison glands in the skin of the toad to remain in the mouth of the snake among the teeth, especially the larger posterior maxillary teeth which inflict the wound. (3) Fear that the snake is poisonous and consequent self- suggestion.” We now come to the non-poisonous snakes which occur in Florida, which number between twenty-five and thirty species. Many of them are small and rarely seen, and the inhabitants have no local name for them. Others, however, are common and are well known to the natives, who call them by various names in different localities. The following are a few of the better-known varieties : — NATRIX FASCIATA (Zivn.). Water Moccasin. This is the common blackish-looking species so often observed along the banks of the rivers and ponds. It is perfectly harmless, but is often pointed out to tourists as the deadly ‘* Cotton-Mouth.” NATRIX TAXISPILOTA (olbro0k). A large Water Moccasin, common about the lakes and rivers, usually seen on floating branches of vegetation. It is not venomous. ABASTOR ERYTHROGRAMMUS (Daudin). Thunder Snake. A harmless variety, apparently not common in Southern Florida. * Proceedings of U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. XVII., p. 239 , 1894. REMARKS ON SOME FLORIDA SNAKES. 131 LAMPROPELTIS GETULUS (Zizz.). King Snake. Harmless. It varies in coloration, sometimes showing black and yellow bands. It is claimed that it kills the Rattlesnake, and is sometimes called the Rattlesnake Pilot. BASCANIU! CONSTRICTOR (Ziiu.). Black Snake. , The Black Snake is very common throughout Florida. It is not poisonous and has no fangs, but it has a fine set of teeth and is not good tempered. It is black, with the under parts greenish, and the throat dull white. BASCANIUM FLAGELLUM (Shaw). Coach Whip, Chicken Snake. Common, but not so numerous as the preceding species. CALLOPELTIS GUTTATUS Zinn. Chicken Snake. Harmless. This and another species, C. guadrivittatus, are both called ‘‘ Chicken Snakes” by the inhabitants. SPILOTES CORAIS COUPERII olbrook. Gopher Snake. A very large, harmless snake. It is claimed that specimens have been killed which measured over nine feet in length. It is black above and plumbeous on the belly, showing yellow on the throat. HETERODON PLATYRHINUS Zaérei@/e. Hognose Snake, Spreading Adder, Spitting Adder. A peculiar little snake, having a turned-up nose. It has the habit of flattening its head and neck and hissing loudly when disturbed, but it is not poisonous. THAMNOPHIS SIRTALIS (Zinz.). Grass Snake, Garter Snake. Common in damp ground. Lophodytes cucullatus. Length, 21; Wing, 8.80; Tarsus, 1.90; Bill, 2.50. Distance from nostril to tip of bill more than 1.50. Merganser serrator (female). Red-breasted Merganser. : See page 213 Length, 18.50; Wing, 7.70; Tarsus, 1.25; Bill, 1.50. Without crest. Lophodytes cucullatus. Hooded [lerganser (immature). Length, 18.50; Wing, 7.75; Tarsus, 1.30; Bill, Bee Reese 1.50. With small crest. Lophodytes cucullatus. Hooded Merganser (female), See page 214 (2) Head with black and white crest; bill narrow with tooth-like serrations. Length, 19.50 ; Wing, 7.75; Tarsus, 1.30; Bill,1.50. Lophodytes cucullatus. (adult male). Hooded [erganser. See page 214 156 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. SusprAmMity ANATIN/E. River Ducks. Dafila acuta. Anas americana. (1) Hind toe without membranous lobe or flap. Belly white, sometimes faintly tinged with blackish or gray on lower part. Length over 17.50; wing over 8.50, Length, 28; Wing, 9.50; Tail, 7; Bill, 2. Head brown; speculum green, edged with black and white; middle tail feathers elongated. Dafila acuta (male). Pintail. See page 223 Length, 22; Wing, 9.25; Tail, 3.50; Bill, 2. Head brown; speculum brown and white; under wing coverts dark. Dafila acuta (female). Pintail. See page 224 Length, 23; Wing, 10.50; Bill, 2.20, Head greenish ; speculum purplish, bordered with white and black ; feet red. Anas boschas (male). Mallard Duck. See page 215 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. Length, 19.50; Wing, 10; Bill, 1.60. Head brownish, streaked ; speculum white and brown; feet yellow- ish; under wing coverts black. Length, 19; Wing, 10; Bill, 1.55. Head brownish streaked ; speculum white and gray ; under wing coverts white. Length, 19; Wing, 10.50; Tarsus, 1.60; Bill, 1.40. Head white and green, streaked and speckled with black; speculum black and green ; feet bluish. Length, 18.50; Wing, 9.50; Bill, 1.40. Head green and purple, showing white stripe; speculum blue, tipped with black and white; feet yellow. Length, 18; Wing, 9.30; Bill, 1.35. Head gray, show- ing white stripe; feet yellow. 157 Anas strepera (male). Gadwall. See page 218 Anas strepera (female). Gadwall. See page 218 Anas americana. Baldpate Widgeon. See page 219 Aix sponsa (male). Summer Duck. Wood Duck. See page 225 Aix sponsa (female). Summer Duck. Wood Duck. See page 22 (2) Hind toe without membranous lobe or flap. Belly not white. Length over 17.50; wing over 8.50. Length, 22; Wing, 11.50; Bill, 2.10; Tarsus, 1.65. Head brownish and buff; belly buff brown, mot- tled; feet red; speculum purple, bordered with white and black. Length, 21; Wing, 10.75; Bill, 2.10; Tarsus, 1.75. Head and neck brown streaked ; no black spot at base of bill; speculum purple, edged with black; throat streaked. Length, 20; Wing, 10.20; Bill, 2; Tarsus, 1.70. Simi- lar to A. obscura, but paler; cheeks and throat not streaked; bill yellowish olive; nail of bill and spot at base black; sfeculum purple, edged with black. Anas boschas (female). Mallard. See page 215 Anas obscura. Black Duck. Dusky Duck. See page 216 Anas fulvigula. Florida Black Duck. See page 217 158 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. Anas obscura. Length, 20; Wing, 950; Bill, 2.70; Tarsus, 1.50. Bill very much broadened; head dark bluish green; feet orange red; speculum green, tipped with white. Length, 19.50; Wing, 9.50; Bill, 2.60; Tarsus, 1.50. Head brown; general plumage mottled and streaked brown and buff; bill very broad; feet orange red; speculum green, tipped with white. Hind toe without membranous lobe or flap. Length under 17.50; wing under 8.50. Length, 16; Wing, 7.25; Tarsus, 1.25; Bill, 1.60, A patch on the wing pale blue; head and neck not chestnut; speculum green. Spatula clypeata (male). Spatula clypeata (male). Shoveller, Broad-bill. Spatula clypeata (female). Shoveller. Anas discors. Blue-winged Teal. See page 223 See page 221 KEY TO TILE WATER BIRDS OF FLORID I§9 Anas discors (male). Anas carolinensis (male). Length, 14.50; Wing, 7.20; Tarsus, 1.25; Bill, 1.50. No blue patch on wing; speculum black, tipped with white. Anas carolinensis. Green-winged Teal. See pave 220 Length, 16; Wing, 7.50: Bill, 1.75; Tarsus. 1.30. Head and neck chestnut; a patch of blue on wing; speculum green. Anas cyanoptera. Cinnamon Teal. See page 221 SupramMity FULIGINA. Sra Ducks. (1) Hind toe with well-defined membranous lobe or flap. Belly white, sometimes grayish or blackish on lower part; no white on head. Length, 21.50; Wing,9: Tarsus, 1.50; Bill, 2.30. Head Aythya americana. reddish brown, chin and crown dusky ; speculum gray ; upper feathers edged with black. Resembles Redhead Duck, but bill very different. (See figure.) Aythya vallisneria. Canvas-back Duck. See page 227 160 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. Aythya vallisneria. Length, 21; Wing, 8.40; Tarsus, 1.60; Bill, 2.20. Head rufous brown; speculum grayish ; upper feathers edged with black; the rest narrowly tipped with white. (See figure showing difference . in bill from Canvas-back.) Length, 20.50; Wing, 8.30; Tarsus, 1.60; Dill, 2.20. Head grayish brown; speculum grayish; upper feathers edged with black; the rest narrowly tipped with white. Closely resembles female of Ring-neck Duck (A. codlaris), but is larger. Length, 19; Wing, 8.50; Tarsus, 1.50; Bill,2. Head black glossed with green; back grayish; specu= lum white. Length, 17; Wing, 8.10; Tarsus, 1.50: Bill, 1.80. Similar to the preceding species, from which it differs only in being somewhat smaller; head black with purplish gloss; speculum white. Aythya affinis. Aythya americana (male). Redhead Duck. See page 226 Aythya americana (female). Redhead Duck. See page 226 Aythya marila nearctica (male). Greater Scaup Duck. Bluebill. See page 228 Aythya affinis (male). Lesser Scaup Duck. Bluebill, See page n to Ko} KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 161 Length, 17; Wing, 7.50; Tarsus, 1.30; Bill, 1.75. Head black with violet gloss; speculum gray. Aythya collaris (male). Ring=-neck Duck. See page 229 Length, 16.50; Wing, 8.25; Tarsus, 1.40; Bill, 1.60. Head brown; speculum white. Glaucionetta clangula ameri- cana (female). American Golden Eye. Whistler. See page 231 Hind toe with well-defined membranous lobe or flap. Belly white, sometimes grayish or blackish on lower part. Head showing more or less white or grayish white. G!aucionetta clangula americana. Clangula hyemalis. Length, including lengthened tail, 21; Wing, 8.50; Bill, 1. Tail pointed; central feathers longest; under tail coverts white. Clangula hyemaiis. Old Squaw. See page 232 Length, 17.75; Wing, 8.25 ; Tarsus, 1.30; Bill, 1.60. Head brownish showing white at base of bill; speculum white. Aythya marila nearctica (female). Greater Scaup Duck. Length, 16.50; Wing, 7.70; Tarsus, 1.25; Bill, 1.50. Blue=bill. See page 228 Similar to preceding, but somewhat smaller. Aythya affinis (female). Lesser Scaup Duck. Blue-bill. See page 229 162 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS Length, 19.50; Wing, 9.50; Tarsus, 1.75; Bill, 1.50. Head brownish, showing a slight trace of whitish on the sides; under surface of body grayish ; whitish on the belly; feathers on top of the bill less than one half inch from nostril; no white on wing. Length, 16.40; Wing, 7.35; Tarsus, 1.20; Bill, 1.75. Head and neck grayish brown; chin and ante- rior portion of lores whitish; speculum gray. Resembles female of -ly¢hya americana but is smaller. ms Length, 20.50; Wing, 8.30; Tarsus, 1.60; Bill, 2.10. Head and neck grayish brown; becoming whitish on chin; speculum gray; resembles female Aythya collaris, but is larger. Length, 19.50; Wing, 9.10; Tarsus, 1.60; Bill, 1.90. Head green; white patch at base of bili; specu- lum white. Length, 12.75; Wing, 6; Tarsus, 1.20; Bill, r. Head purple, green, and white; back black; speculum white. A very small duck. Length, 12.50; Wing, 5.75; Tarsus, 1.20; Bill, 1. White patch on side of the head; back brownish ; speculum white. A very small duck. Length, 15.25; Wing, 6; Bill, 1.50; Tarsus, 1.20. General color chestnut brown or grayish .brown (according to sex), silvery white beneath; patch of white on side of the head; tail feathers stiff and pointed. OF FLORIDA. Oidemia perspicillata (female). Surf Scoter. Skunk-head Coot. See page 235 Aythya collaris (female). Ring-necked Duck. See page 229 Aythya americana (female). Red=head Duck. See page 226 Glaucionetta clangula ameri- cana (male). American Golden Eye. Whistler. See page 231 Charitonetta albeola (male). Buffleszheaded Duck. Buffle-head. See page 231 Charitonetta albeola (female). Buffle-headed Duck. Buffle-head. See page 231 Erismatura rubida. Ruddy Duck. See page 236 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. Hind toe with well-defined membranous lobe. Belly not white. Length, 21; Wing, 11; Tarsus, 2.05; Bill, 1.50. Gen- eral plumage black; speculum white; spot under eye white; bill orange at base; feathers on the bill loss than one half inch from nostril. Length, 20.50; Wing, 11; Tarsus, 2; Bill, 1.50. Gen- eral plumage grayish ; speculum white; feathers on the bill less than one half inch from nostril. Length, 18; Wing, 9.25; Bill, 1.75; Tarsus, 1.85. General plumage black; no white on the wing ; bill orange at base; feathers on the bill more than one half inch from nostril. Length, 17.50; Wing,9; Bill, 1.70; Tarsus, 1.80. General plumage brownish; no white on wing ; bill black; feathers on the bill more than one half inch from nostril. Length, 20; Wing, 9.50; Tarsus, 1.75; Bill, 1.50. General plumage black; feathers on top of bill extending farther forward than on side of bill; patch of white on bill; orange, black, and white front of head and nape; no white on wings; feathers on the bill less than one half inch from nostril. Length, 19.50; Wing, 9.50; Tarsus, 1.75; Bill, 1.50. Head brownish, showing a slight trace of whitish on the sides; under surface of body grayish; palest on the belly. Feathers extended on upper part of bill more than on sides: no white on wings; feathers on the bill less than one half inch from nostril. 163 Oidemia deglandi (adult male). White-winged Scoter. White-winged Coot. See page 234 Oidemia deglandi (male in winter and female). White-winged Scoter. White-winged Coot. See page 234 Oidemia americana (adult male) American Scoter. Butter-bill, Coot. See page 233 Oidemia americana ( female and immature). American Scoter. Butter-bill, Coot. See page 233 Oidemia perspicillata (adult male). Surf Scoter. Skunk-head Coot. See page 235 Oidemia perspicillata (female). Surf Scoter. Skunk-head Coot. See page 235 164 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. SupraMILy ANSERIN/E. GEEsE. Branta canadensis. Length, 40; Wing, 19; Bill, 2.50; Tarsus, 3.20. Band of white on sides of the head and throat; bill black; rest of head black. Branta canadensis. Canada Goose. See page 239 Length, 34; Wing, 17.40; Bill, 2.50; Tarsus, 3.10. Entire plumage white; primaries black. Chen hyperborea nivalis. Greater Snow Goose. See page 237 Anser albifrons gambeli. KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 165 Length, 28; Wing, 16; Bill, 2.20; Tarsus, 3.10. Head white; rest of plumage grayish. Chen cerulescens. Blue Goose. See page 237 Length, 28; Wing, 16; Bill, 2; Tarsus, 2.90. Head brownish; bill yellowish; nail black. A line of white at base of bill (adult). Anser albifrons gambeli. American White-fronted Goose. See page 238 Length, 26; Wing, 13.50: Dill, 1.40; Tarsus, 2.40. Head entirely black ; bill black. Branta bernicla. Brant. See page 240 SupramMity CYGNINAE. Swans. Olor columbianus. Length, 53; Wing, 21.50; Bill, 4; ‘Tarsus, 4.20. Distance from front of the eye to nostril longer than from nostril to tip of bill. A spot of yellow on the lores in the adult; young birds gray. En- tire plumage white. Olor columbianus. Whistling Swan, See page 240 166 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. Famity PHCENICOPTERIDZ. FLAMINGOES. Pheenicopterus ruber. Length, 47; Wing, 16.50; Tarsus, 12; Bill, 5.75. Plumage vermillion red; bill pale yellow, tipped with black. Pheenicopterus ruber. Flamingo. See page 241 Famity PLATALEID-E. Spoonsi.iys. Ajaja ajaja. Length, 31; Wing, 15; Tarsus, 4.10; Bill, 6.30. Bill flat, widened at tip; plumage pink and white. Ajaja ajaia. Roseate Spoonbill. See page 242 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 167 Famity JBIDIDA. IBISES. Plegadis autumnalis. Length, 25; Wing, 11.25; Bill, 5.40. Plumage chestnut brown ; no white at base of bill. Length, 25; Wing, 11; Bill, 5.50. Plumage chest- nut brown; a line of white at base of bill. Length, 26; Wing, 11.25; Bill, 6.30. Plumage white; primaries tipped with black. Length, 26; Wing, 11; Bill, 6.20. Plumage mixed gray and brown; belly white; rump white. Length, 27; Wing. 10.50; Bill, 6.20. Plumage brownish mottled; belly white; rump brown- ish, Plegadis autumnalis. Glossy Ibis. See page 245 Plegadis guarauna. White-faced Ibis. See page 246 Guara alba. White Ibis (adult). See page 243 Guara alba. White Ibis (immature). See page 243 Guara rubra. Scarlet Ibis (immature). See page 244 168 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. Guara alba (adult), Length, 28; Wing, 11; Bill,6.50. Plumage scarlet; legs and feet red. Guara rubra. Scarlet Ibis (adult). See page 244 Famity CICONIID-E. Srorks. Tantalus loculator. ia iv Length, 41; Wing, 18.50; Tarsus, 8.20; Bill, 9.20. Plumage white ; head and neck without feathers in adult. Tantalus loculator. Wood Ibis, See page 246 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 169 Famity ARDEIDZ. Herons anp BITTERNS. Ardea herodias. Plumage nearly or entirely white. Length, 50; Wing, 18.50; Tarsus, 8.50; Bill, 6.40. Plumage white; bill yellow; legs greenish yellow. Ardea occidentalis. Great White Heron. See page 24) Ardea rufescens. 170 KEY Length, 40; Wing, 15.25; Tarsus, 5.50; Bill, 4.60. Plumage white ; bill yellow; legs and feet black. Length, 28.50; Wing, 12.25; Tarsus, 5.25; Bill, 3.50. Plumage white ; legs dark olive; terminal half of bill black: basal half flesh color. Length, 23.50; Wing, 9.50; Tarsus, 3.75; Bill, 3.25. Plumage entirely white; bill black, showing yellow at base; legs black; feet yellow. Length, 22.50; Wing, 10; Tarsus, 3.50; Bill, 3.10. Plumage white; tips of primaries washed with grayish blue; legs and feet greenish yellow. Plumage not white. Length, 50; Wing, 20; Tarsus,S; Bill,6.50. General color slaty or grayish variously marked with white, black, and brownish; 67/7 yellow?sh. Length, 46; Wing, 18.50; Tarsus, 7; Bill, 5. Similar to Ward’s, but somewhat smaller; d2// dark. Length, 29; Wing, 12; Tarsus, 5.40; Bill, 3.80. Head and neck rufous chestnut ; rest of plumage slate color; legs bluish; terminal half of bill black; basal half flesh color. TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORID.\. Ardea egretta. American Egret. See page 251 Ardea rufescens. Reddish Egret (white phase). See page 254 Ardea candidissima. Snowy Heron. Little White Egret. See page 252 Ardea cerulea (immature). Little Blue Heron. See page 256 Ardea wardi. Ward’s Heron. See page 250 Ardea herodias. Great Blue Heron. See page 250 Ardea rufescens. Reddish Egret (dark phase of plumage). See page 253 KEY TO Length, 27.50; Wing, 10.50; Tarsus, 3.60; Bill, 3.10. Plumage tawny brown, streaked with dark brown. Length, 26; Wing, 10; Tarsus, 3.50; Bill, 3.80. Elon gated feathers on crown chestnut and white ; throat white with brown stripe down the middle. Length, 24; Wing, 12; Tarsus, 3.60; Bill, 3. Bill thick — black; crown of head white and buff. Immature birds are mottled brown having outer web of primaries slate color, not rufous brown. Length, 24; Wing, 12; Tarsus, 3.40; Bill, 3. Bill thick —black; crown greenish black. Imma- ture birds are mottled brown, having the outer wely of primaries pale rufous brown. Length, 22.50; Wing, 10; Tarsus, 3.60: Bill, 3. Head and neck purplish brown; rest of plumage slaty blue; legs and feet black. Length, 22; Wing, 10: Tarsus, 3.60; Bill, 3. Plu mage partly grayish blue, partly white. Length, 17; Wing, 7; Tarsus, 1.80; Bill, 2.50. Crown dark greenish; neck chestnut with a line of buffy white down the middle of throat; legs greenish yellow; belly pale. THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. IVI Botaurus lentiginosus. American Bittern. Sce page 247 Ardea tricolor ruficollis. Louisiana Heron. See page 254 Nycticorax violaceus. Yellow-crowned Night Heron. See page 25y Nycticorax nycticorax nzvius. Night Heron. See page 258 Ardea coerulea. Little Blue Heron (adult). See page 256 Ardea coerulea. Little Blue Heron (immature). See page 256 Ardea virescens. Green Heron. See page 257 172 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. Length, 13.25; Wing, 4.50; Tarsus, 1.60; Bill, 1.80. Very small; throat pale yellow buff; under parts pale. Ardetta exilis. Least Bittern. See page 248 Length, 13; Wing, 4.30; Tarsus, 1.40; Bill, 1.80. Throat and under parts deep chestnut. Ardetta neoxena. Cory’s Least Bittern. See page 249 Famity GRUIDE. CRANES. Grus americana. Length, 51; Wing, 25.50; Tarsus, 12; Bill, 5.10. Plumage white; bare skin of head red. (Young birds have the head feathered.) Grus americana. Whooping Crane. See page 260 Length, 45; Wing, 21.50; Tarsus, 10; Bill, 5.50. Plumage gray or brownish gray; bare skin of head red. (Young birds have the head feathered.) Grus mexicana. Sandhill Crane. See page 262 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 173 Famity ARAMID. Cour.uans, “ LImMpKINs.” staal Aramus giganteus. Length, 27.50; Wing, 12.50; Tarsus, 4.30; Bill, 4.10. Plumage brown, striped with white; under mandible slightly twisted near tip, Aramus giganteus.. Limpkin, Crying=bird. See page 263 Famity RALLID.£. Rats, GALLINULES, Coots. SupraMILy RALLINVE. Raits. Length, 16.50; Wing, 6.20; Tarsus, 2.30; Lill, 2.30. Upper parts brownish olive, streaked with black; breast cinnamon brown ; wing coverts rufous ; cheek rufous brown. Rallus elegans. King Rail. See page 264 Length, 15; Wing,6; Tarsus, 2; Bill, 2.30. Upper parts grayish olive streaked with black; breast pale buff; cheeks grayish, Ralius longirostris crepitans. Clapper Rail. See page 265 Rallus longirostris crepitans. 174 Rallus elegans. Length, 14.50; Wing, 5.75; Tarsus, 1.90; Bill, 2.10, Upper parts dark olive brown; wing coverts not rufous brown. Length, 8.75; Wing, 4.20; Tarsus, 1.30: 22/7, 1.50. Upper parts dark; throat white: belly brown, Length, 8.40; Wing, 4.20: Tarsus, 1.25: B///, 75 to 90. Upper parts dark; throat gray; a stripe on top of head and at base of bill black; lower belly white. Length, 7.20; Wing, 3.50; Tarsus, 1: B2//, 55. Feathers of back banded with narrow white lines and edged with pale brown; upper belly white. Length, 5.50; Wing, 3; Tarsus, .90; Bill, .60. Head, neck, and upper belly slaty gray; lower belly plumbeous or blackish. KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. Porzana carolina. Rallus longirostris scottii. Scott’s Rail. See page 266 Rallus virginianus. Virginia Rail. See page 265 Porzana carolina. Carolina Rail. Sora. See page 266 Porzana noveboracensis. Yellow Rail. See page 267 Porzana jamaicensis. Little Black Rail. See page 267 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. IVs SupraAmMity GALLINULINE. GatLtinutes. Ionornis martinica. Jonornis martinica. Length, 11; Wing, 7; Bill, 1.80; Tarsus, 2.40. Gene eral color purplish blue; toes without lobate webs; legs and feet yellow. lonornis martinica. Purple Gallinule. See page 2608 Length, 12; Wing, 7.10; Bill, 1.80; Tarsus, 2.25. General color olive brown and gray; frontal shield and most of bill red; toes without lobate webs ; legs and feet greenish, showing scarlet on upper portion of tibia. Gallinula galeata. Florida Gallinule. See page 268 SuBFAMILY FULICINE. Fulica americana. Fulica americana, Length, 15.50; Wing. 7.40; Tarsus, 2.20. Toes with lobate webs; legs greenish; basal portion of bill and frontal shield white; general plumage slate color; head blackish. Fulica americana. American Coot, Mud-hen. See page 26y 176 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. Famity PHALAROPODIDA. PHALarRopEs. Crymophilus fulicarius (foot ). Crymophilus fulicarius. Length, 7.50; Wing, 4.40; Bill, .90; ‘Tarsus, .85. Upper parts gray; neck marked with rufous; under parts white. Phalaropus lobatus. Northern Phalarope. See page 270 Famity RECURVIROSTRIDX. Avocets anp STILts. Recurvirostra americana. Length, 17.50; Wing, 8.75; Tarsus, 3 70; Lill, 3.60. Bill curved upwards —very slender; middle back, rump and belly white; legs bluish; head and neck rufous in summer, gray in winter. Recurvirostra americana. American Avocet. See page 271 Length, 15; Wing, 8.75; Tarsus, 3.90; Bill, 2.60. Forehead, bill straight; a spot behind the eye, and under parts white; rest of head, back, and wings black ; lees pink red. Himantopus mexicanus. Black-necked Stilt. See page 272 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 177 Famity SCOLOPACID/E. Swipes, SANDPIPERS, CURLEWS. Philohela minor. Length under 13; wing under 7; bill over 2; toes four in number. Length, 11; Wing, 5.50: Bill, 2.70; Tarsus, 1.25. Under parts rufous brown; three outer prima- ries attenuated ; fourth and fifth primaries longest. Length, 11; Wing, 5.35; Tail, 2.25; Tarsus, 1.25; Bill 2.60. Throat whitish; belly white; under tail coverts barred with black; no wed be/ween toes. Length, 10.50: Wing, 5.50; Tarsus, 1.35: Bill, 2 40. Tail and tail coverts barred with black; a very small web between the inner toes. Length, 10.78; Wing, 5.75; Tarsus, 1.50; Bill, 2.65. Resembling preceding species, but somewhat larger; bill longer. Philohela minor. American Woodcock. See page to I Lor) Gallinago delicata. Wilson’s Snipe. English Snipe. See page 27 ioe) Macrorhamphus griseus. Dowitcher. Red=breasted Snipe. See page 275 Macrorhamphus scolopaceus. Long-billed Dowitcher. Red-breasted Snipe. See page 275 178 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. Gallinago delicata. Length under 13 ; wing under 7; bill less than 2 and more than 1; toes four in number. Length, 12; Wing, 6.75; Tarsus, 2; Bill, 1.15. Bill greenish, yellowish at base; legs grayish yellow ; head, upper parts, and breast mottled brown and tawny; axillars barred white and slate color; belly white. Bartramia longicauda. Bartramian Sandpiper. Upland Plover. See page 286 Length, 10.50; Wing, 6.40; Tarsus, 2.05: Bill. 1.40. Legs yellow; bill black; upper parts grayish brown; breast mottled; belly white. Totanus flavipes. Summer Yellow-legs. Yellow-legs. See page 283 Length, 10.50; Wing. 6.40; Tail, 2.40; Tarsus, 1.30; Bill, 1.50. Legs and feet black. In summer under parts, except belly, reddish brown; in winter upper parts gray; breast pale gray. Tringa canutus. Knot. See page 276 Length, 9; Wing, 5.25; Tarsus, 1.05; Bill, 1.15. Upper parts brown and tawny; throat and belly white; breast pale brown. Tringa maculata. Pectoral Sandpiper. Grass-bird. See page 277 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 176) Tringa canutus. Length, 8.75; Wing, 5.20; Tarsus, 1; Bill, 1.30. Upper parts gray, showing faint purplish reflec- tions. Length, 8; Wing, 5.20; Tarsus, 1.60; Bill, 1.20. Back olive green spotted with white ; axillars barred. Length, 8; Wing, 5.20; Tarsus, 1.60; Bill, 1.60. Legs long; upper tail coverts barred with black and white in summer; white in winter. Length, 7.90; Wing, 4.90; Tarsus, 1.05; Bill, 1.60. Upper beily black in breeding plumage. In win- ter breast gray, shafts of the feathers brown. Length, 5.40; Wing, 3.80; Tarsus, .90; Bill, 1.10. A small web between the toes, Tringa maculata. Tringa maritima. Purple Sandpiper. See page 277 Totanus solitarius. Solitary Sandpiper. See page 284 Micropalama himantopus. Stilt Sandpiper. See page 276 Tringa alpina pacifica. Red-backed Sandpiper. American Dunlin. See page 279 Ereunetes occidentalis. Western Sandpiper. See page 280 Length under 10; wing under 6; bill 1 or less; toes four in number. Length, 8; Wing, 5.30; Tarsus, 1.10; Bill, .80. Breast buff or grayish buff. Tryngites subruficollis. Buff-breasted Sandpiper. See page 287 180 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. Length, 7.70; Wing, 5.10; Tarsus, 1.05; Bill, .go. Middle upper tail coverts white. Length, 7.50; Wing, 4.40; Tarsus,1; Bill, .90 to 1. Back olive green, showing bronzy reflections when held in the light. Length, 5.75; Wing, 3.80; Tarsus, .90; Bill, 85. A small web between the toes. Length, 5.75; Wing, 4.05; Tarsus, .90; Bill, .70. No web between the toes. Tringa minutilla. Length under 10; wing under 6; toes three Length, 8.15; Wing, 5.05; Tarsus, .95; Bill, 1. Length over 13; wing over 7; bill over 2.75 Length, 24; Wing, 10; Tail, 4.10; Tarsus, 2.30; Bill from 4 to 8. Bill very long and curved down- ward; general plumage brownish rufous; axillars barred. Length, 18; Wing, 9: Tail, 3.60; Tarsus, 3; Bill, 4.60. Upper parts brownish; under parts rufous ; bill curved slightly upward; axillars brownish. Length, 17.20; Wing, 9.40; Tarsus, 2.10; Bill, 3.70. Bill curved downward; plumage mottled brown above, middle of head with dull buffy white stripe; axillars barred. Tringa fuscicollis. White-rumped Sandpiper. - See page 278 Actitis macularia. Spotted Sandpiper. See page 287 Ereunetes pusillus. Semipalmated Sandpiper. See page 279 Tringa minutilla. Least Sandpiper. See page 278 in number. Calidris arenaria. Sanderling. See page 280 ; toes four in number. Numenius longirostris, Long-billed Curlew. See page 28s Limosa fedoa. Marbled Godwit. See page 281 Numenius hudsonicus. Hudsonian Curlew. Jack Curlew. See page 289 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA, 81 Limusa tedvua, Length 15.25; Wing, 8.10; Tarsus, 2.30; Bill, 3.30. Under parts rufous brown or chestnut brown barred with dusky black; bill slightly curved upward: axillars black. Limosa hzemastica. Hudsonian Godwit. See page 282 Length over 13; wing over 7; bill under 2.75; toes four in number. Length, 14; Wing, 7.60; Tarsus, 2.60; Bill, 2.30. Biil black, nearly straight; legs yellow ; primaries blackish, Totanus melanoleucus. Greater Yellow-legs. Winter Yellow-legs. See page 283 Length 16; Wing, 8.50; Tarsus, 2.60; Bill, 2.30. Bill black, nearly straight; prominent white patch on wing; legs grayish; axillars black. Symphemia semipalmata. Wibllet. See page 285 Length, 16: Wing, 8.60; Tarsus, 2.65: Bill, 2.40. Slightly larger, but very similar to preceding. Symphemia semipalmata in- ornata. Western Willet. See page 286 182 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. Numenius hudsonicus. Length, 14; Wing, 7.40; Tarsus, 2.50; Bill, 2.15. Rump and upper tail coverts and crissum pure white: bill nearly straight; somewhat resembles a Yellow-legs, but has olive green legs. Totanus nebularius. F Green-shank. See page 282 Length, 13; Wing, 8.25: Tarsus, 1.75; Bill, 2.30. Bill curved downward: plumage mottled brown streaked with brown; top of head dark brown - axillars barred. Numenius borealis. Eskimo Curlew. Dough-bird. See page 290 Famity CHARADRIID-E. Provers. Length over 9; wing over 6; toes four in number. ( The hind toe so small as hardly to be noticeable.) Length, 11.50; Wing, 7.50: Tail, 3; Tarsus, 1.90; Bill, 1.10. Bill thick; axillars smoky black. Charadrius squatarola. Black-breast Plover. Beetle-head. See page 290 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA, 183 Charadrius squatarola (winter). ZEgialitis vocifera, Length over 9; wing 6 or over; toes three in number. (No rudimentary hind toe.) S Length, 9.50; Wing, 7; Tail, 2.50; Tarsus, 1.65; Bill, .go. Axillars gray. Charadrius dominicus. Golden Plover. See page 292 Length, 10.30; Wing, 6.50; Tail, 3.50: Tarsus, 1.30; Bill, 80. Rump rufous brown. Egialitis vocifera. Killdeer Plover. See page 292 Length under 9; wing under 6; toes three in number. Length, 8.10; Wing, 6; Tail, 2.60; Tarsus, 1.50; Bill, 80. Above grayish brown; under parts dull white; buffy white on breast. In summer, front of crown and loral streak black. In winter, no black on head. AEgialitis montana. Mountain Plover. Sec page 295 Length, 7.70; Wing, 4.40; Tail, 1.90; Tarsus, 1.25 ; Bill, 80. Bill large, black; a band of black or brown on the breast. Egialitis wilsonia. Wilson’s Plover. See page 294 Length, 7: Wing, 4.50; Tail, 2; Tarsus, 80; Bill, .50. Bill orange at base ; legs yellow; no black stripe from bill to eye. Egialitis meloda. Piping Plover. Sce page 294 Length, 7.10; Wing, 4.75; Tail, 2.25; Tarsus, .90; Bill, .50. Bill orange yellow at base; a black stripe from the bill passing under the eye; toes with small web. Egialitis semipalmata. Ring-neck Plover. See page 293 184 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. Famity APHRIZIDE. Surr Birrps anp TuRNSTONES. Arenaria interpres. Length, 8.60; Wing, 5.70; Tail, 2.60; Tarsus, 1; Bill, .95. Arenaria interpres. Turnstone. See page 296 Famity H/EMATOPODIDE. OvysTEeR-caTrcHERs. Hematopus palliatus. aS SS Length, 18.50; Wing, 10.50; Tarsus, 2.35; Bill, 3.50. ne ; - ~“ Head, neck, and back black; under parts white ; zmatopus palliatus (bill). bill orange red in winter, deep red in summer. Hzmatopus palliatus. Oyster-catcher. See page 296 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 185 ORDER PYGOPODES. Divine BIrRps. Famity PODICIPID.E. GREBEs. Genus COLYMBUS Linn. COLYMBUS AURITUS Zinn. Horned Grebe. Adult in summer: Upper parts, including back, wings, top of the head and back of the neck, glossy black ; throat black: front of the neck, breast, and sides of the body rufous chestnut; rest of under parts white; wings dusky black; secondaries white: lores dull chestnut; the two small tufts of feathers at the sides of the occiput brownish buff. Adult in winter and immature: NWead and back gray- ish, under parts white, usually “ged with gray on the breast and lower throat; no tufts on sides of the head in winter plumage. Length, 13.40; Wing, 5.40 ; Tarsus, 1.70; Bill, .85 to .95-. The Horned Grebe is not uncommon on the Atlantic coast during the migrations, breeding from the Northern United States northward and migrating in winter south to Florida and the Gulf States. The nest is constructed on floating debris; eggs, four to seven, dull white or yellowish white. Range: ‘+ Northern Hemisphere; breeds from United States northward.” (A.0.U.) a 186 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. Genus PODILYMBUS Lesson. PODILYMBUS PODICEPS (Linn.). Pied-billed Grebe. Adult in summer plumage: Throat black, and a black band on the bill; no tufts on sides of the head in any plumage. Winter plumage > Throat grayish white, no black band on bill; sides faintly washed with pale brown. Length, 13.50; Wing, 5; Tarsus, 1.45; Bill, .go. Often confounded with the preceding species in winter dress. Florida in winter; not very common. It occasionally breeds in the State. Range: British Provinces of North America to South America. Nests on floating vegetation or slightly submerged marshes; eggs three to eight, yellowish white or dull white in color. KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 187 Famity URINATORID®. Loons, Divers. Genus URINATOR Cvvirer. URINATOR IMBER (Guiz.). Loon. Great Northern Diver. Adult in summer : Head and neck black, showing green in some lights. A patch of white streaked with black on the throat and sides of the neck; under parts white: back streaked 188 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. and spotted with white. [’¢xer plumage - Head grayish, throat white or grayish white, wings and back not streaked or spotted. Length, 31; Wing, 14; Tarsus, 3.35; Bill, 2.75. A winter visitor to Florida, ranging from the far North, south to the Gulf of Mexico. It breeds from the northern United States northward. The eggs are grayish or greenish brown, heavily blotched with dark brown ; they are usually two in number, deposited on the ground; the nest consists merely of a little grass or dried weeds. URINATOR LUMME (Gunz.). Red-throated Loon. Red-throated Diver. Adult in summer: Back and wings slaty brown marked with white; head and neck gray; nape black streaked with white; front of the neck reddish brown, under parts white. Adult in winter: Throat white or grayish white; back showing white spots. Length, 24.50; Wing, 11.25; Tarsus, 2.50; Bill, z. Florida in winter; not uncommon on the coast. Breeds from the North- ern United States northward. It ranges in winter to the Gulf of Mexico. The eggs are two in number, which are deposited on the ground near water, the nest being merely a little grass; they are olive brown in color, blotched with dark brown or black. KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 189 ORDER LONGIPENNES. LonG-WINGED SWIMMERS. Famity STERCORARIIDA. JcErs. Genus STERCORARIUS Brisson. STERCORARIUS PARASITICUS (Zzxz.). Parasitic Jeger. Length from base of hook on end of bill (unguis) to frontal feathers greater than from un- guis to tip of upper mandible. Adult (light phase of plumage): upper parts slaty gray, a tinge of pale yellow on the sides of the head and neck. Crown of the head and lores sooty black; under parts white, shading into slaty gray on sides and lower belly; two middle tail feathers pointed. Adult (dark phase), general plumage sooty brown; slightly paler below; crown dark brown. Immature (light phase): head and neck streaked with buff or gray; under parts mottled and barred with slaty gray; upper parts dark gray; some of the feathers edged with buff. Immature (dark phase) « general color slaty brown: neck marked with white; feathers on the belly barred with dull white. In all plumage the two middle tail feathers are pointed, and the tarsus is black in freshly killed specimens. Length, 17 to 20; Wing, 13: Tail (adult), 8.40, (immature), 6; Tarsus, 1.60: Bill, 1.20. Igo KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA, Accidental on the Florida coast in winter. It ranges from the far North southward to South America and South Africa. It breeds in high northern latitudes. The eggs are olive brown, blotched with chocolate brown. The nest is a little grass in a slight depression in the ground. Stercorarius parasiticus (adult). Stercorarius parasiticus (immature), STERCORARIUS LONGICAUDUS § /%e77/. Long-tailed Jaeger. Length from base of the hook on end of upper mandible (unguis) to frontal feathers /esy than from unguis to tip of upper mandible; tarsus blue in freshly killed specimens, feet black. -ldult; Above slaty gray; top and sides of the head dull black ; sides of the head and neck pale yellow ; under parts dark slate color ; chest and upper belly whitish. Jmmature: Resembles the preceding species in color: but may be distinguished by com- paring the measurements of the bill and tail. Length, 19 to 23; Wing, 12.50; Tail (adult), 12.50 (immature), 6; Tarsus, 1.65; Bill. 1.10. It breeds in high northern latitudes, ranging southward in winter to the West Indies and Gulf of Mexico. The eggs are three in number, pale olive brown blotched with chocolate brown. It nests on the ground. A bird of this species was found dead on the beach, a short distance north of Cape Canaveral. I have never seen it alive in Florida. KEY tO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. Ig!l Famity LARIDJE. Gutis anp TERNS. Suspramity LARINE. GuLtis. Genus LARUS Linn. LARUS MARINUS Zinn. Great Black-backed Gull. Adult in summer: Whole back dark slate color ; outer primaries black, with tips and termi- nal spots of white; head and under parts white. Adult in winter: Headand neck streaked with gray. Immature birds are mottled dusky and buff; head and neck streaked; tail with narrow subterminal band; a very large gull. Length, 29; Wing, 18: Tail, 8: Tarsus, 2.70; Bill, 2.40. Coast of North America south to South Carolina; accidental in Florida. Breeds from Northern Maine northward. The nest is built on the ground ; the eggs are usually two, pale brown, marked with chocolate brown. A specimen of this gull was shot near St. Augustine during the winter of 1894-5. Ig2 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. LARUS ARGENTATUS SMITHSONIANUS Cowes. American Herring Gull. White near end of outer primary separated from the white tip by a band of black. Adult in summer: Back pearl gray; head, neck, and under parts white; in winter the adult has the head and neck streaked with ashy gray. First primary tipped with white with a subterminal band of black; this, in turn, is followed by a white band and then another black one. Immature: General plumage mottled pale brown or buff. a Length, 24; Wing, 17.50; Tail, 7.50; Bill, a> 2.10. The European species, Larws argentatus, is very similar, but has the two white marks at tip of primary joined and not separated by the black. Ranges throughout North America; common in Florida in winter. It breeds from Maine northward. Nest constructed of grass or seaweed, usually on the ground; eggs brownish white, lined and blotched with dark brown. LARUS DELAWARENSIS Orda. Ring-billed Gull. Adult in summer; Bill yellowish banded with black ; mantle pearl gray ; feet pale yellow or greenish; first primary black with a subterminal white spot. In winter, head and neck streaked with dusky; band on bill less distinct. Immature: General plumage mottled gray or buff gray; bill yellowish tipped with black. Length, 18.40; Wing, 14: Tail, 6; Bill, 1.65. Ranges throughout North America, in winter south to Gulf of Mexico. Not uncommon in Florida. Nests on the ground; eggs pale buff marked with chocolate brown. KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 193 LARUS ATRICILLA Zina. Laughing Gull. Adult in summer: Head and throat plum= beous ; rest of upper parts pearl gray; under parts white ; bill reddish. Adult in winter; Head white marked with ash gray; throat white. Length, 16.50; Wing, 12.50; Tail, 5; Bill, 1.75. This species has a wide breeding range, extending from Maine to the Gulf of Mexico. It is resident and breeds in Florida. The nest is built on the ground in marshy places, and the eggs, usually four or five, are grayish or pale brownish, blotched with chocolate brown. LARUS PHILADELPHIA (Ord). Bonaparte’s Gull. Adult in summer: Bill black; head and neck plumbeous ; feet orange red; tail white. Adult in winter: Head and neck white; top of the head grayish; feet flesh color. a Immature birds have a white tail with subterminal band of black. Length, 13.50; Wing, 10.40; Tail, 4.15; Bill, 1.30. ¥ North America, south in winter to Central . America and West Indies. Common in Florida in winter. Breeds far northward. Nest composed of brush and grass built in small trees or bushes. Eggs four, pale olive, marked with brown spots. 194 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. SuBFAMILY STERNINZ. Terns. Genus GELOCHELIDON Breum. GELOCHELIDON NILOTICA (fasse/g.). Gull=billed Tern. and probably breeds in the State. Adult in summer : Top of head and nape black; upper part, including rump and tail, pearl gray; under parts white; bill and feet black, the former comparatively short and stout. Adult in winter: Similar, but having the head and neck white, the nape ashy, and a dusky patch in front of the eye. Length, 14; Wing, 12; Tail, 5.50; Bill, 1.40; Tarsus, 1.30. A most widely distributed cosmopoli- tan species. It is common in Florida It occurs commonly on the middle Atlan- tic coast in summer where it breeds, and occasionally wandering as far north as Maine. The eggs are usually three in number, pale brownish white, faintly mottled with brown, deposited in a slight depression in the sand. Genus STERNA Linn. STERNA TSCHEGRAVA Zegech. Caspian Tern. Adult in spring: Bill deep red ; top of the head black, rest of upper parts pearl gray; pri= maries dark slate color on inner webs, hoary on outer webs ; tail grayish white; feet black. -1dult in winter : Top of the head streaked with black ; tail showing brownish bars. Length, 21; Wing, 16; Tail, 6.10; Bill, 2.60; Tarsus, 1.50. According to Mr. Scott, the Caspian Tern / occurs in Florida.* I have never met with it in the State; itis known to breed on the Virginia coast, and{probably is a regular summer visitant to Florida. ' * Since the above was written, a bird of this species was killed in March near the head of the Banana River by Mr. T. Watson Merrill, of Boston. KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 195 STERNA MAXIMA Bod. Royal Tern. Adult in spring: Bill orange yel- low; tail forked; crown and nape black ; wings and back pearl gray, shading in - white on the rump and upper tail coverts; outer primary abruptly marked with white on inner por- tion of inner web ; feet black. Adult in fall and winter; Forehead and front of crown white; occiput and nape black streaked with white; edges . of eyelids black. Length, 19; Wing, 14; Tail, 7; Tarsus, 1.35; Bill, 2.60. Tropical America, occasionally wandering as far north as New England. It is common in Florida, breeding in the State. It breeds commonly on the middle Atlantic coast, having been found breeding in numbers on the coast of Virginia. The eggs are two to four, dull white, mottled with chocolate brown. Range: “‘ Tropical America and warmer parts of North America northward to Massachusetts, the Great Lakes, and California, west coast of Africa north to Tangiers.” (A.0.U.) STERNA SANDVICENSIS ACUFLAVIDA (Cabot). Cabot’s Tern. Adult in spring: Bill black, tipped with yellow ; cap black; upper back (mantle) whit- ish; rest of upper plumage pearl gray; under parts white, sometimes showing a faint rosy flush; first primary edged with white to the tip, cover- ing the entire inner web at the base and narrow- 7 ing to an almost imperceptible line at the tip; tail white, forked; legs and feet black. fn winter the crown is white dotted with black. Length. 15.50; Wing, 10.50; Tail. 5.50; Dill, / 2.10; Tarsus, .go. This species occurs in Florida throughout the year, but is much more abundant in summerthan in winter. It breeds on both coasts of Florida; the eggs are pale brownish white, streaked and spotted with brown. Range : *‘ Tropical America, northward along the Atlantic coast irregularly to Southern New England.” (A.0.U.) 196 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. STERNA FORSTERI Wut. Forster’s Tern. pe Adult in summer: Crown black ; upper parts pearl gray ; Mee ion . h (Ye under parts white; inner web of outer tail feather > ww darker than outer web; bill reddish orange tipped with a black; feet yellowish. 4du/t in winter : Bill dark brown; / feet brown; head grayish; a dusky black patch on sides of the head, enclosing the eye. Jmature in winter : Upper parts mottled with pale brown or buff. Length, 15; Wing, 10.25; Tail, 6.60; Tarsus, .go; Bill, 1.50. The range of Forster’s Tern extends nearly throughout North America. It is common in winter in Florida, both on the east and west coast. It breeds commonly on Cobb’s Island, Va.; the eggs are two to three in number, usually laid on the sand; they are pale buff or greenish gray marked with dark brown. STERNA HIRUNDO Zinn. Common Tern. Mackerel « Gull.’’ Adult in summer ; Bill red, broadly tipped with black; feet red; crown black; upper parts pearl gray; under parts pale ashy gray. Adult 7n winter ; Forehead and crown white or grayish white; under parts white. Immature specimens have the upper parts mottled with buff or pale brown. The outer web of outer tail feather is darker than the inner web at all seasons. KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 197 Length, 15; Wing, 10.30; Tail, 5.50; Tarsus, .75; Bill, 1.45. A widely distributed species not un- common in Florida in winter. It breeds commonly along the Atlantic coast; the eggs are three in number, grayish or buff white, marked with chocolate brown. STERNA DOUGALLI JZontag. Roseate Tern. Adult spring plumage : bill black, tinged with red at base; slender; cap black; upper plumage pearl gray ; under parts white, tinged with pink when freshly killed. Tail entirely white; outer feather longer than the others; legs vermillion red; iris brown. 159, 159; 158, 157) 57> 157, 154, I 56, 151, 151, 146, 165, 2 164, 184, 173, 2 173) 169, 171, 170, 170, 170, 169, 170, 171, 171, 170, 169, 172, 172, 172, ( LATIN.) 287 | Arenaria interpres 277 | Arenariinz 293 | Arquatella . 294 | Aythya . 294 affinis 295 americana 293 collaris : 292 marila nearctica 204 vallisneria 202 22 Bartramia longicauda 242 | Botaurinz 215 | Botaurus lentiginosus 219 | Branta 215 bernicla 220 canadensis 221 | Butorides 221 217 | Calidris arenaria . 216 | Charadriidae 218 | Charadrius 212 dominicus 215 squatarola 279 | Charitonetta albeola 207 | Chaulelasmus 207 | Chen 199 ceerulescens . 238 hyperborea nivalis 212 | Ciconiz 237 | Ciconiidae ; 296 | Clangula hyemalis 263 | Colymbus auritus 263 | Coturnicops 249 | Creciscus 256 | Crymophilus fulicarius 252 | Cygninz 251 | Cyrtopelicanus 250 | Cymodroma grallaria 249 253 | Dafila acuta 254 | Dichromanassa 257 | Diomedea exulans 250 | Diomedeidz 250 | Dysporus 247 249 | Ereunetes . 248 occidentalis 248 pusillus 249 | Erismatura rubida 160, 160, 161, 160, 182, 184, 159) 161, 162, 162, 161, 159, 178, Lely 164, 165, 164, 180, 2,2 290, 183, 182, 162, 164, 165, 164, 168, 161, 141, 165, 149, 2 156, 148, 148, 179; 179, 180, 162, 300 Florida . Fregata aquila Fregatide Fulica americana Fulicinze Fuliginze Fuligulinze Fuligula Gallinago delicata Gallinula galeata Gallinulinze Garzetta Gelochelidon nilotica Glaucionetta clangula americana Glottis Grues Gruide . Grus . americana mexicana Guara alba yubra I{zematopodide . Hematopus palliatus Herodias Herodii . Herodiones Himantopus mexicanus Hydranassa Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis Tbides Tbididz Tonornis martinica Laridzx Larinz Larus atricilla -delawarensis marinus philadelphia Limicolz F J.imosa fedoa hzemastica Longipennes Lophodytes cucullatus Macrorhamphus . griseus scolopaceus Mareca . Melanitta . Merganser argentatus smithsonianus 153 1535 175, 175; 177, 1755 175, 147, 162, 172; 1772; 172, 172, 167, 167, 168, 184, 184, 176, 147, 167, 175s 144, 144, 144, 144, 144, 144, 144, 144, 180, 180, +51, 2 55» 1775 177 177; 154, INDEN, americana serrator Merginz Micropalama himantopus Nettion Numenius . borealis hudsonicus . longirostris . Nyctherodius Nycticorax nycticorax nzvius violaceus Oceanites oceanicus Ochthodromus Odontoglossz Oidemia americana deglandi . perspicillata Olor columbianus Oxyechus Paludicole Pelecanidze Pelecanus erythrorhynchos fuscus Pelidna . Pelionetta . Phaéthon flavirostris Phaéthontide Phalacrocroacidz Phalacrocorax dilophus floridan us Phalaropodide Phalaropus lobatus Philohela minor Pheenicopteride . Pheenicopterus ruber Plataleide . Plegadis autumnalis . guarauna Podasocys Podidcipidze Podilymbus podiceps Porzana carolina jamaicensis noveboracensis Procellariidze Puffinus auduboni major Pygopodes Querquedula Ralli . Rallidee Rallinze Rallus elegans longirostris crepitans ” scottii virginianus Recurvirostra americana Recurvirostridz . Rhyacophilus Rhynchopide Rhynchops nigra Scolopacidz Spatula clypeata Squatarola Steganopodes Stercorariidz Stercorarius longicaudus parasiticus Sterna Fe anzthetus antillarum dougalli forsteri fuliginosa hirundo maxima . sandvicensis acuflavida tschegrava . 173, 173) 173, 1735 173; 1745 174, 176, 176, 147, 147, 177) 158, 143, 143, 143, 143) 145, 146, 147, 146, 146, 145, 145) 145, 145; 145, INDEX. 263 264 264 264 264 265 266 265 271 271 284 Sterninz Sula bassana cyanops piscator sula Sulidz Symphemia semipalmala 55 inornata Tantaline . Tantalus loculator Totanus flavipes melanoleucus nebularius solitarius . WVrnigas ss aps alpina pacific canutus fuscicollis maculata . maritima . minutilla . " Tryngites subruficollis Tubinares . Urinator imber lumme Urinatoridz 145, 150, 150, 150, 150, 150, 150, 181, 181, 181, 168, 178, 178, 181, 182, 1795 178, 179; 178, 180, 178, 179, 180, 179, 142, 142, 142, 142, 301 194 205 206 205 206 205 205 285 285 286 246 246 282 283 283 282 284 276 279 276 278 277 277 278 287 201 187 187 188 187 Albatross, Wandering Anhinga Avocet, American Baldpate Beetle-head Bittern, American Cory’s Least Least Bluebill . < Booby, Blue-faced . Common. Red-footed Brant Broadbill Buffle-head Bull-peep Butter-ball Butter-bill . Canvas-back Cet. American Black . = ae Skunk-head . White-winged Cormorant, Florida . Courlans . .. Crane, Sandhill Whooping Crying-bird Curlew, Eskimo Hudsonian Jack . . . Long-billed . Darters . Divers Great Northern Red-throated Dough-bird Dowitcher. . ae Dowitcher, Long-billed Ducks ‘American Golden Tye Baldpate . Black . INDEX. (ENGLISH.) 148, 201 Bluebill 151, 207 Broadbill 176, 271 Buffle-head . Butter-ball 157, 219 Butter-bill 182, 290 Canvas-back 171, 247 Dusky. . 172, 249 Florida Black 172, 248 » Dusky 160, 161 Gadwall 150, 205 Mallard 150, 205 Merganser, American 150, 206 Hooded 165, 240 Red-breasted . 158 Old Squaw . 162, 231 Old Wife . 280 Pintail » 231 Redhead . 163 Ring-necked Ruddy 19, 227 Scaup, American 283. £03 Greater 175, 269 Lesser : 233 Sheldrake 235 Shoveller 162, 163 Spirit . 163, 234 South Southerly 151,208 | ‘ Sprigtail 263 Summer 172, 262 Whistler 172, 260 Widgeon, Baldpate 173 American 182, 290 Wood. 180, 289 | Dunlin, American 180 180, 288 | Egret, American . Reddish . 151, 207 White 142, 185 142,187 | Flamingo, American T42, 188 Florida Black Duck 152, 290 oe Dusky ,, 177,275 | Fulmars 177, 275 154, 212 Gadwall 162, 231 Gallinule, Florida , 219 Purple 157,216 | Gannets. I 56 i Ww ™s 160, 162, 161, 162, 160, I61, iE 162, 157> 170, 170, 170, 166, 157; 1575 175» 175» 150, 205, y wy NOD Oo QU Ww wb 236 me Whom Bm le bs W to SE Fn Ga Wn Ga Gs G2 WOMWON SEN WW SL 268 268 206 Godwit, Hudsonian Marbled Golden Eye, American Goose, American White-fronted Blue Canada Greater Snow Grass-bird . Grebe, Torned Pied-billed . Green-shank Gull, American Herring Bonaparte’ Ss. Great Black- backed Laughing Mackerel Ring-billed Heron, Black-crowned Night Great Blue Great White Green Little Blue Louisiana Snowy Ward’s Wiirdemann’s . Yellow-crowned Night Ibis, Glossy Scarlet White White-faced Wood Jaeger, Long-tailed Parasitic Killdeer Knot Limpkin LOOK «x » Red-throated . Mallard Man-o’-War Bird Merganser, American Hooded Red-breasted Mother Cary’s Chicken Mud-hen Old Squaw Old Wife Oyster-catcher, American Pelican, American White Brown Petrel, Black-capped White-bellied . 161, 170, 1 67, I 56, 1545 181, 180, 162, 165, 165, 164, 164, 178, I4], 141, 182, 144 (44, 144, 144, I44, 171, 170, 169, 171, 171, 170, 2 INDEX. 282 281 231 238 237 239 237 277 185 186 282 192 193 IQ! 193 196 170, 252 170, 171, 2 167, 168, 167, 167, 168, 2 143, 143, 183, 292 178, 173, 2 142, 142, 157 2 1535 154, 155, 2 15592 175) 2 T6t, 232 184, 2 16232 152, 149, 202 149, 2 Wilson’s . Phalarope, Gray Northen Red Pintail . . Plover, Golden Belted Piping . Black-bellied Black-breasted Killdeer . Mountain Piping Ring-neck Semipalmated . Upland Wilson’s . Rail, Black Carolina . Clapper . Florida Clapper King Scott’s Virginia Yellow Redhead Ring-neck . Sanderling 160, Sandpiper, Bartramian or Bartram’ Ss. Buff-breasted Least . Pectoral Purple. Red-backed . Semipalmated . Solitary Spotted Stilt Western : ” semipalmated White-rumped . Scoter, American Suré « : « White-winged Shearwater, Audubon’s Greater Sheldrakes Shoveller Sickle-bill . Skimmer, Black . Snake Bird Snipe, English Red-breasted Robin . Western Red-breasted Wilson’s . Sora. . South Southerly 149, 156, 183, 183, 183, 183, 183, 178, 183, 174, 1745 1735 1735 174, 174, 174, 162, 180, 178, 179; 180, 178, 179, 179, 180, 179) 180, 179, 180, 163, 163, 163, 149, 148, 158, 222 147, isi, 177, '775 177) 174, WWW ONAN ODONNNNN ODD OW buns WOW ANLOONN ON DO WRK HR eR wD RW HWY WY DD 202 304 Spoonbill, Roseate . Sprigtail . . Stilt, Black-necked . Storks . zi : Swan, Whistling Swimmers, Long-winged . Totipalmate Tube-nosed Teal, Blue-winged Cinnamon Green-winged Tern, Black Bridled Cabot’s Caspian Common Forster’s . Gull-billed Least . Noddy Roseate Royal . Sooty . Tropic Bird, Vellow-billed ‘ Turkey, Water Turmstone . Whistler : Widgeon, American Baldpate . Willet » Western Woodcock, American Yellowlegs, Greater Summer Winter Works on Ornithology, by Charles B. Cory. A Naturalist in the Magdalen Islands. Giving description of'the islands and list of the birds taken there, with other ornithological notes. One vol., small quarto, illustrated. Boston, U.S. A., 1878. Price : : ; DI.50. The Birds of the Bahama Islands. Containing many species new to the islands, together with a number of undescribed winter plumages of North American birds. [Illustrated with eight full-page plates. One vol., large quarto. Boston, U.S. A., 1880. Price P ‘ $7.00. Revised edition of same. Boston, U. S. A., 1890. Price ; $7.00. The Beautiful and Curious Birds of the World. A superb work, complete in seven parts (atlas folio), illustrated with twenty plates (21 by 27 ins.), beautifully colored, each plate finished by hand in water colors. The plates represent a series of beautiful and curious birds, extinct and living. Among the species illustrated are : Birds of Paradise, Dodo, Great Auk, Apteryx, Labrador Duck, California Condor, Sacred Ibis, etc., etc. Each plate is accompanied by descriptive text. The edition was limited to two hun- dred copies and the stones were destroyed after that number were printed. Less than twenty perfect sets now remain unsold. Boston, U.S. A., 1883. Price in parts $75.00 Bound in Levant . $95.00 The Birds of Haiti and San Domingo. Containing twenty-two full-page plates colored by hand in water colors. Large quarto, bound in cloth; the edition was limited to three hundred copies. Boston, U.S. A., 1885. Price . ‘ z ‘ ‘ $20.co. A List of the Birds of the West Indies. New edition, revised and enlarged, one vol., boards. Boston, U.S. A., 1886. Price ‘ : : ‘ $1.00. The Birds of the West Indies. Including all species known to occur in the Bahama Islands, the Greater and Lesser Antilles, excepting the islands of Tobago and Trinidad. The only exhaustive work on the birds of the West Indies that has yet been published. Illustrated with map and numerous cuts. One vol., large quarto, bound in cloth. Boston, U.S. A., 1889. Price. : A . $5.00. Catalogue of West Indian Birds. Containing a list of all species known to occur in the Bahama Islands, the Greater Antilles, the Caymans, and the Lesser Antilles, excepting the islands of Tobago and Trinidad, map. One vol. large quarto, bound in cloth. Boston, U. S. A., 1892. Price F : F $2.50. Hunting and Fishing in Florida. Including a key to the water birds of the State, illustrated with more than two hundred.cuts and two full-page photogravures. Quarto, bound in cloth. Boston, U.S. A., 1896. Price. : ; : : : £3.75. Key to the Water Birds of Florida. Giving a description of all the water birds known to occur in the State. Illustrated with numerous cuts representing nearly every species. Boston, U.S. A., 1896. Price, paper, $1.50, cloth. F ‘ $1.75. These works may be obtained from Estes & Lauriat, Washington St., Boston, Mass. Bradlee Whidden, 18 Arch St., Boston, Mass. L. S. Foster, 35 Pine St., New York. R. H. Porter, 18 Princes St., Cavendish Sq., London, England. © In Course of Preparation. Check List of the Birds of Flows, The Birds of Eastern North America. Key to the Birds of Illinois.