VOL. III.] Birds of Gray's Harbor Region. 141 



rivers flow in from the north, viz.: The Wishkah, Hoquiam and 

 HumptuHps, 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 

 scarce. 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 Ouin- 

 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. 



1. Colynibus sp.? Common in winter. 



2. Pacific Loon. Urinator pacifiais ? Abundant. 



3. Ster7ia sp.? Common in winter. 



