Vol. XXXVIII 



1920 



Fleisher, Birds of S. E. North Carolina. 56o 



NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF SOUTHEASTERN NORTH 



CAROLINA. 



BY EDWARD FLEISHER 



During the week beginning April 13, 1919, 1 visited that section 

 of North Carolina lying between Wilmington and the mouth of 

 the Cape Fear River, thirty miles to the south. Throughout this 

 region the soil is sandy, with here and there muddy bottoms in 

 which grow the great bald cypresses and live oaks with their 

 draperies of Tillandsia "moss." The coastal region at the mouth 

 of Cape Fear River, and, more particularly, Smith's Island, 

 approach the sub-tropical in both climate and flora. Here such 

 trees as the cabbage palmetto, the magnolia and the prickly ash 

 are found. Many of the Smith's Island palmettos, however, 

 were killed or injured in the cold winter of 1917-1918. 



Smith's Island, off the mouth of the Cape Fear River, is roughly 

 in the shape of an arrow, the point of which, Cape Fear, is the 

 southernmost point of North Carolina and at about the latitude 

 of Atlanta, Ga. The flanks of the arrow consist of sandy beaches 

 of a total length of about fifteen miles. In the central part are 

 extensive grassy marshes bordered by dense woods. One end of 

 the beach terminates in a narrow spit of sand separating the ocean 

 from Buzzard's Bay. It is here that the sea birds formerly nested, 

 though I doubt whether they still do so in large numbers, as herds 

 of semi-wild cattle wander over the island and their tracks can be 

 seen in the sand. 



On the east side of Cape Fear the sea is gradually cutting into 

 the woods, and the shore presents a wild aspect. The beach is 

 covered with a tangled mass of prostrate and semi-prostrate trees, 

 and the breakers seethe about those still standing. Here and 

 there, lagoons of salt water are bordered and dotted with gaunt 

 trees. 



It was on top of one of these trees that I discovered a Roseate 

 Spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja), a thorough surprise and the best find of 

 the trip. I had the bird under observation for only two or three 

 minutes, though of course there was no mistaking him after the 



