Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Spanish moss, Blue Crab, and Seagull

Spanish mosses:Savannah is a lush city filled with oak trees, which are often adorned with Spanish moss. While browsing the internet, I stumbled upon an interesting story about these mosses. Spanish moss is not a true moss or lichen; it is actually a flowering plant that grows hanging from tree branches in full sun or partial shade. The story goes that in the 1700s, a traveler and his Spanish fiancée arrived to start a plantation near Charleston, South Carolina. She was a stunning bride-to-be with long, flowing raven hair. As the couple strolled through the plantation site, discussing their future plans, they were suddenly attacked by a band of Cherokee who were unwilling to share their ancestral land with strangers. As a final warning, the Cherokee cut off the bride's long, dark hair and threw it into an old live oak tree. Over time, the couple returned day after day, and they noticed that the hair had shriveled, turned gray, and began to spread from tree to tree. Eventually, the moss made its way from South Carolina to Georgia and Florida. To this day, if one stands under a live oak tree, it is said that the moss seems to leap from tree to tree, defended by a legion of beetles.

Blue Crab:
The blue crab is a crustacean found in the waters of the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, which is the Maryland State Crustacean and the subject of an extensive fishery. They can deliver an extremely painful pinch and are noted for being particularly aggressive and difficult to handle safely. Even when out of the water, they will lunge towards movement they consider a threat.

Seagulls:

Seagulls are medium to large sized birds with hundreds of different kinds. They are with usually grey or white, and with harsh, wailing or squawking calls. These are typically long-lived birds, with a maximum age of 4Check Spelling9 years. Browse the link for the gallery of Seagulls.

Courtesy: Wikepedia