16 AVIFAUNA COLUMBIANA. 



along its border are several fine Woodcock brakes. In the high banks 

 in the vicinity are also colonies of the Bank Swallow (Cottle rvparia). 



On the Virginia side of the river, about half way between Analostan 

 Island and the Long Bridge, a small stream, known as " Gravelly Bun," 

 empties. This stream continues around in a southern direction, and again 

 connects with the Potomac below the Long Bridge by a cove called 

 " Boche's Inlet," or " Boche's Bun ". The land lying between this stream 

 and the river is known as Alexander's Island, and the single house at 

 the southern terminus of the Long Bridge by the high-sounding title of 

 " Jackson City." 



Gravelly Bun receives and discharges the tides, and its borders for its 

 entire length constitute a swamp of tangled weeds, shrubs, and small 

 trees. It is a favorite resort for Green and Blue- winged Teal, Summer 

 Duck, Green Heron, Wilson's Snipe, Woodcock, as well as the common 

 marsh birds, Bail, Beed-birds, and Bed-shouldered Blackbirds. Here 

 also are found several "Woodcock brakes," which yield sport in July 

 to such as enjoy the steam bath of a midsummer's Woodcock shoot in 

 the close and tangled recesses of thick cover. 



2. EASTERN BRANCH (ANACOSTIA RIVER) REGION. 



At the mouth of the Eastern Branch, on the north side, is GreenleaPs 

 Point, on which the United States Arsenal is located, and on the south 

 side is Giesboro; the distance between the two being about half a mile. 



From the mouth to the Anacostia Bridge, a distance of a mile and 

 a half, the narrow and tortuous channel runs close to the northern 

 bank, passing in front of the Washington Navy- Yard. The remainder 

 of the river bed consists of "flats" of aquatic grass, the water not being 

 sufficiently shallow to give root to the wild rice. The river, however, 

 is gradually filling up, and the time is not far distant when here also 

 we shall have an extensive tide-water marsh of zizania, saw-grass, etc. 

 Above the Anacostia Bridge to the railroad bridge (Baltimore and Po- 

 tomac), a distance of three-fourths of a mile, the character of the river 

 is the same. This portion of the Anacostia Biver has but little interest 

 ornithologically. A few Coots (Fulica americana), Dippers (Podilymbus 

 podicipes), and Butter Balls (Clangula albeola) may be seen, but the lo- 

 cation is too public for any abundance of water birds. 



Above the Baltimore and Potomac Bailroad Bridge, however, the 

 character of the stream changes, and becomes of more interest to the 

 ornithologist. The "flats" of the stream become sufficiently shallow to 

 meet the conditions necessary for the growth of the wild rice, and for 

 three miles above the railroad bridge the channel winds tortuously 

 between extensive marshes composed of wild rice (Zizania aquatica), 

 saw-grass (Polygonum arifolium and Polygonum sagitatum), wanquapins 

 (Nelumbium luteum), lily-pads (Nupliar advena), and several species of 

 marsh grasses. 



