The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1921-08-12

Prairie Is typical of the so-called 'prairies" OF the
swamp. These prniries are essentially marshes,
with more or less open water, but practically
filled with a luNuriant growth Of aquatic plants.
These include water lilies. maiden cane, pitcher
plants, arrowhead. arrow arum. saw grass. fern,
paint root and sphagnum. They are the favored
resort of waterfowl. Here and there on the
prairies stand picturesque clumps or heads or
cypress and pine. Yet abundant crops of corn
and sweet potatoes are raised in the swamp anu
much of it may be waded.
Francis Harper. assistant biologist Of the Uni
ted States biological survey. contributes an inter
esting article on "Okefinokee Swamp as a Reser-
vation' to Natural History. OF Its animal and
plant life he says, in part:
There are probably between one and two hun
dred black bears in the swamp and it's immediate
environs; the Florida deer is a rather common
and well-distributed species on the islands and in
other parts of the swamp; the Florida otter Is
a 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 a wolf was heard
in the swamp several times in 1916. This species
is virtually extinct, and there are only one or
two specimens in the museums of the country.
That curious little animal, the Florida water rat
or round-tailed muskrat (NeOfiber alleni), has
lust recently been discovered In the swamp. 1t
is very abundant here in its only known habitat
In Georgia.
The ~ivorybill. our greatest and most magnih-
cent woodpecker, now on the very verge Of extinc.
ton, has maintained in the Okefinokee one of its
last strongholds. The great pileated woodpecker,
scarcely less splendid than the %ivorybill, is aston
ishingly abundant. its numbers here perhaps sur
passing those Of any other part of the country.
The American egret, once nearly exterminated
for it's 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
i'm Georgia where one may find the sand-hill crane
and the limpkin. The former is a resident and
quite common species, but only one or two of the
curious and fast-disappearing limpkins have been
observed in the swamp, which doubtless repre-
sents the northern limit of their breeding range.
The wood duck Is q 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 y intering ground for migratory waterfowl.
the Okehnokee is of very considerable Importance.
Eleven species Of interest to game conservation
lists were found w%intering in 1861, in numbers
loosely estimated as follows: hooded merganser.
several hundred; mallard. several thousand: black
duck 1000; green-winged teal. 25; pintail, 50:
wood duck, 500; ring-necked duck. several hun
dred; sand-hill crane. 100; woodcock. 100: VIII
sons snipe. 500; killdeer. 100. Altogether about
IS species Of birds have been recorded from the
swamp in summer. and about 80 in winter. AT
the latter season 1t attracts great numbers Of
berry and fruit-eating birds.
At present a considerable amount of hunting
is carried on. chiefly by residents in and about
the swamp. Deer, bears. and wildcats are hunted
with hounds at virtually iii seasons Of the yea-.
Not only the ordinary game birds, but also such
species as the wood ibis, Wards heron, sand hill
crane. and occasionally even a cOrmorant or a
water. turkey, are killed and eaten. The wood
duck, although protected by both state and fed