SAND DUNES AND SALT MARSHES 



pitched, thin and grasshopper-like, the second 

 rather sweet and musical. The first trill is 

 inaudible to some whose hearing is otherwise 

 good. 



A few tree swallows nest in the hollow trees 

 and a few bank swallows in holes in the wind- 

 cuttings of the dunes. Red-winged black- 

 birds, bronzed grackles and crows are all com- 

 mon nesters, as well as kingbirds and a few 

 black-billed cuckoos and flickers. There are 

 a few other breeding birds of the dunes, but 

 these are the chief ones. 



I doubt not that the hummingbird has 

 raised its young there, for I have occasionally 

 seen it among the dunes, although I have not 

 found its nest. One could not wish a more 

 accurate or charming description of this bird 

 than that of William Wood in his *^ New Eng- 

 land's Prospect." He says: '' The Humbird 

 is one of the wonders of the Countrey, being 

 no bigger than a Hornet, yet hath all the di- 

 mensions of a Bird, as bill, and wings, with 

 quills, spider-like legges, small clawes: For 

 colour, she is as glorious as the Raine-bow; 

 as she flies, she makes a little humming noise 

 like a Humble-bee: wherefore shee is called 

 the Humbird." 



88 



