vou. ul.| Birds of Gray's Harbor Region. 141 
rivers flow in from the north, viz.: The Wishkah, Hoquiam and 
Humptulips, and two from the south: John’s River and Elk River. 
The harbor is very shallow, and at low tide the mud flats extend 
over a mile from shore. There is also a large flat nearly ten miles 
long bare at low tide, between the north and south channels, 
locally known as the middle ground. This is composed of mud at 
the upper end and sand at the lower end, and affords much feed 
for countless numbers of shore and bay birds. I am satisfied that 
several species of sandpipers and waders can be found there not 
noted in either list. 
During the winter time ducks are abundant and afford much sport. 
From January until April canvas backs are very plenty. They feed 
on young clams which they dive for when the tide is in. They de- 
coy easily and large bags are made by the sportsmen, who hide in 
the roots of the big spruce snags, that have drifted out of the rivers, 
and lodged on the mud flats. 
Many ocean birds are driven in by storms and seek refuge in the 
harbor. As some of these outside birds are not familiar to me I 
have doubtless passed over a few that can be found in Gray’s Har- 
bor at any time during the winter. 
Land birds, in comparison with other places I have been, are 
searce. Ruffed and dusky grouse are comparatively plentiful, and 
also the robin, varied thrush and rusty song sparrow. 
I made two trips into the Olympic Mountains by the way of Quin- 
- ault Lake. On the last trip I went to the summit of the divide on 
the extreme head waters of the east fork of the Quinault. Birds 
were very scarce; in fact in the dense, damp woods of that region, 
life of any kind is scarce. We would tramp for hours and not see 
a living, breathing thing; not an ant, a bee, or an insect of any kind; 
not a squirrel or a bird, nothing but a vast wilderness of trees. © 
When we reached the summit we were above the timber line, and 
there we found an open country covered with a beautiful growth of 
fresh green grass. The scent of wild flowers was in the air, hum- 
ming birds and honey bees were darting about here and there, 
beautiful little cascades and clear mountain lakes pleased the eye, 
and everywhere nature appeared in her wildest and loveliest form. 
I. Colymbus sp.2- Common in winter. 
2. Pacific Loon. Urinator pacificus ? Abundant. 
3: 7 Sterna sp.? Common in winter. 
