TOPOGRAPHY OF THE DISTRICT. 17 



The extent of these tide-water marshes has very greatly increased 

 during the past twenty years (since the former paper was published), 

 and they are steadily encroaching- upon the channel. Fifty years ago 

 there was sufficient depth of water in the Anacostia Eiver to float ocean- 

 going vessels up to Bladeusburg, the head of tide- water, six miles above 

 its confluence with the Potomac. Since that period the stream has been 

 gradually filling up, until now it is navigable only to sand scows. 



The marshes have an average width of one-third of a mile, and are 

 about three miles long. Benning's Bridge crosses the Anacostia River 

 about two miles above the Navy- Yard Bridge and three miles below Bla- 

 deusburg, and is the headquarters for marsh shooting. Here skiffs can 

 always be hired, and, if notice be given, pushers also can be obtained. 



The marshes are intersected at intervals by streams called by the 

 euphonious name of " guts," which are from 3 to 6 feet in depth, ami 

 10 to 20 feet wide. The larger of these are the continuations of rivulets 

 which empty into the river, and by them the tide overflows and ebbs 

 from the marshes. Along the edges of the river and of the "guts," 

 never entirely uncovered at low tide, grow the lily-pads (Nupliar advena) 

 and wanquapins {Nelumbiwm lutcum). In these marshes the Long-billed 

 Marsh Wren (Telmatodytcs palnstris) breeds abundantly. 



Emptying into the river just below Benning's Bridge, on the west 

 side, is a large branch known as "Turtle Gut/' It is the outlet of a 

 small stream coming in at what are known as " Mayhew's Meadows," a 

 grass marsh on the west side, a short distance below the bridge. This 

 meadow is a well-known feeding ground for the Jack Snipe (GaUinago 

 wilsoni) in the spring of the year. 



Twenty years ago the outlet of Turtle Bun expanded into a broad, 

 shallow bay, with Mayhew's Meadows on the west and a wild-rice marsh 

 on the east. In this bay grew patches of wild rice, wanquapins, and 

 lily-pads, and it was a favorite resort for ducks. At this date, however 

 (1882), this space has been entirely converted into a wild-rice marsh, 

 and " Turtle Gut" is nearly obliterated. 



Above Benning's Bridge about a quarter of a mile the river marsh 

 widens out into a bay on the east side. Here we find another large 

 gut, known as Succabel's Gut, also a favorite resort for Ducks. On the 

 shore at this point is an excellent " Woodcock brake." On the west side 

 of the river the marshes, intersected by numerous guts, extend unbroken 

 for one and a half miles to a bold bluff, which reaches down to the 

 water's edge at a point near the Reform School. 



Opposite this bluff, a little up stream, comes in Piney Run, quite a 

 large, winding gut; and half a mile still farther up the Beaver Dam 

 Run empties. At Beaver Dam is situated a good wild-rice marsh, known 

 as McCormick's Marsh, while between this and Piney Run Gut the marsh 

 is grown up with buttonwoods and alders, making good cover and feed- 

 ing ground for Woodcock and King Rail (Rattus elegans). 



On shore, along the edge of Beaver Dam Run, at McCormick's, is a 

 Bull. Nat. Mus. No. 2G 2 



