The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1921-08-12
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Prairie is typical Of the so-called praries Of the
swamp. These prairies essentially marshes,
with more or less open water, but practically
filled with a luxuriant growth Of aquatic plants.
These include water lilies, maiden cane pitcher
plants, arrowhead, arrow arum. grass, fern,
paint root and sphagnum They are the favored
resort Of waterfowl. Here and there on the
prairies stand picturesque clumps or heads OF
cypress and pine Yet abundant crops Of corn
and sweet potatoes raised in the swamp and
much of it may be waded.
Francis Harper assistant biologist Of the Uni
ted States biological survey, contributes an inter
esting article on "Okefnokee Swamp a Reser-
yation" to Natural History. OF Its animal and
plant life he says in part
There are probably between and two hun
1red black bears in the swamp and Its immediate
environs; the Florida deer is a rather common
and well-dstributed species the islands and In
other parts of the swamp; the Florida otter Is
fairly common denizen of this wilderness; sew
eral panthers have been recorded about the bor
ders within the past few years; a Florida wolf
was killed near the edge of the swamp about 1910:
and some animal believed to be wolf was heard
in the swamp several times in 1915. This species
Is virtually extinct and there only one or
two specimens in the museums of the country.
That curious little animal. the Florida water rat
or round-tailed muskrat (Neofber aeni). has
Just recently been discovered In the swamp 1t
is very abundant here in its only known habitat
in Georgia.
The voryb greatest and magnifi
cent woodpecker, now on the very verge OF extinc-
ton, has maintained in the Okefnokee one of its
last strongholds. The great pileated woodpecker
scarcely less splendid than the ivorybill is aston
shingy abundant, its numbers here perhaps sur
passing those of any other part of the country.
The American egret once nearly exterminated
for its plumes, has been found breeding in the
environs of the swamp. 1t also has here a safe
winter refuge The Okefnokee is the only place
in Georgia where one may find the sand-hil crane
and the limpkin. The former is a resident and
jfp h1f only
curious and fastdisappearing limpkins have been
observed in the swamp. which doubtless repre-
sents the northern limit of their breeding range
The wood duck is resident species of which
there are probably hundreds of individuals in the
swamp. In the entire country there is perhaps
no other equally favorable habitat for this rare
and beautiful little duck.
As a wintering ground for migratory waterfowl
The Okefnokee is of very considerable Importance
Eleven species of interest to game conservation
loosely estimated follows: hooded merganser
several hundred; maard several thousand: black
luck; 1000; green-winged teal 25; pintai] 80
wood duck 500 ring gnecked duck several hun
dred; sand-hil crane 100; woodcock 100. VIII
sons snpe 500; killdeer 100. Altogether about
50 species of birds have been recorded from the
swamp in summer. and about so in winter AT
the latter 1t attracts great numbers of
berry and frut-eating birds.
At present considerable amount of buntins
is carried on, chiefly by residents In and about
the swamp. Deer, bears, and wildcats are hunted
with hounds at virtually all seasons of the wear
Not only the ordinary game birds, but also such
species as the wood Ibis, Wards heron sand-hiIl
crane, and occasionally cormorant or
water turkey, killed and eaten The wood
duck. although protected by both state and fed