if (!iterator.hasNext()) {
      return Optional.absent();
    }

    /*
     * TODO(kevinb): consider whether this "optimization" is worthwhile. Users with SortedSets tend
     * to know they are SortedSets and probably would not call this method.
     */
    if (iterable instanceof SortedSet) {
      SortedSet<E> sortedSet = (SortedSet<E>) iterable;
      return Optional.of(sortedSet.last());
    }

    if (!iterator.hasNext()) {
      return Optional.absent();
    }

    /*
     * TODO(kevinb): consider whether this "optimization" is worthwhile. Users with SortedSets tend
     * to know they are SortedSets and probably would not call this method.
     */
    if (iterable instanceof SortedSet) {
      SortedSet<E> sortedSet = (SortedSet<E>) iterable;
      return Optional.of(sortedSet.last());
    }