24 AVIFAUNA COLUMBIANA. 



For the entire distance the stream is bordered by bigli bills, some- 

 times so precipitous as to afford precarious footing, sometimes sloping 

 back gently, almost always well wooded, and in many places affording 

 a tangled undergrowth of laurel (Kalmia latifolia), which presents a 

 beautiful appearance when in tlower in the spring-time. 



The sides of the valley are intersected at many points by ravines 

 produced by the small streams flowing into the creek along its course. 

 These ravines, amounting in many cases to beautifully shaded glens, 

 add variety to the scenery, and afford favored retreats to many species 

 of retiring wood-birds. In several places are stretches of level land 

 found between the banks of the stream and the wooded hillsides, con- 

 stituting fertile meadows. In fact, such is the beauty and variety of 

 the scenery, that this region is the favorite collecting ground for the 

 ornithologist for all species of birds except the water-birds and those 

 inhabiting the open fields. Upon the hill-tops we have high open woods ; 

 in the ravines, cool shaded glens, with light undergrowth ; in places 

 also dense tangled undergrowth of laurel, and in other localities boggy 

 swamps and brier patches. The character of the woods also varies, 

 from oak, hickory, maple, etc., to pine groves and cedar patches, offer- 

 ing attractions to a great variety of birds. 



In referring more in detail to the Pock Creek region, we find we are 

 repeating much of the excellent description given by Prof. Lester F. 

 Ward iu his Flora of the District of Columbia. 



For convenience of description he divides this region into six sections, 

 which, for the sake of uniformity, we shall follow. 



The portion of the creek between its confluence with the Potomac 

 and the city boundary line on the north is not included in Professor 

 Ward's description. This portion was the dividing line between the 

 corporations of Washington and Georgetown before they were merged 

 into one. It is spanned by four bridges — at K street, at Pennsylvania 

 avenue, at M street, and at P street, the latter being at the northern 

 extremity of the city limits. The southern portion of this part of the 

 creek is deepened by a dam at its outlet to the river, whereby it is con- 

 verted into a canal as a continuation of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, 

 which empties into Kock Creek just below the Pennsylvania avenue 

 bridge. This portion of the creek being within the city limits presents 

 nothing of interest to the ornithologist except that at the bend south of 

 the P street bridge there is a row of willow trees in Avhich in the spring 

 may usually be found the Black-capped Flycatcher (Myiodioctes pusillus). 



park. No one can seo it without thinking how admirably it is adapted for a national 

 park. Suck a park might be made to extend from Oak Hill Cemetery to the Military 

 Eoad opposite Brightwood, having a width of a mile to a mile and a half. Not only 

 every botanist, but every lover of art and nature must sigh at the prospect, not far 

 distant, of beholding this i-egion devastated by the ax and the plow. The citizens 

 of Washington should speedly unite and strenuously urge upon Congress the impor- 

 tance of early rescuing this ready-made national park from such an unfortunate 

 fate." 



