AUGUST BIRD-UIFE OF THE HACKENSACK MEADOWS 



THE thousands of acres of marshland borderino- the Hackensack 

 River and Newark Bay, so faniiHar to travelers over the rail- 

 ways which pass through them, are commonly esteemed worth- 

 less ground, but to the naturalist they abound in interest. 



In their lower portion, colonies of Florida Gallinules and Pied-billed 

 (xrebes have recently been found nesting; but it is in August that birds 

 are most abundant in the marshes, and they then possess the strongest 

 attraction for the ornithologist. At this season the wild rice V)egins to 

 ripen, bringing to the marsh a large though ever decreasing numlier of 

 Bobolinks and Sora Rail which delight to feed upon it. 



The Bobolink is now in its streaked, sparrow-like plumage and 

 under the name Reedbird is ranked in New Jersey as a game bird (!) 

 and is killed in thousands l)y men who would not raise a finger against 

 the black and l)uff songster of om- June meadows. 



The Sora, in spite of its small size and sluggish flight may, with greater 

 reason, be ranked as a game bird, but at the present rate of decrease it 

 will pay the penalty of this distinction by practical extermination in this 

 region. Red-winged Blackbirds also come to feed on the rice. 



During the latter half of July, August and September, Swallows, by 

 far the most abimdant birds of the meadows, use the marshes as dor- 

 mitories, coming to them in the evening in incalculable numbers to 

 sleep, and leaving them early the following morning to radiate to 

 every point of the compass. During the day, and as the birds gather 

 for their evening Hight, they may be seen p*erching in long lines on road- 

 side telegraph lines. 



In August the marshes are as remarkal)le for their flowers as for 

 their birds. The great rose mallow is doubtless the most beautiful, 

 as it is also one of the most abundant species, acres sometimes being 

 ])ink with the bell-shaped flowers. There are also brilliant cardinal 

 flowers, saggitaria, pickerel weed, jewel flowers, all of which are shown 

 in the group, and many other species. 



The studies for this group were made about one mile south of 

 Ivittle Ferry, N. J. The view shown is toward the west. 



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