26 BEACH GRASS 



''Creatures of desolation! Far they fly 

 Above all lands bound by the curling foam. 

 In misty fens, wild moors and trackless sky 

 These wild things have their home, 



''Dark flying rune against the western glow 

 It tells the sweep and loneliness of things, 

 Symbol of autumns vanished long ago, 

 Symbol of coming springs^ 



The work of the Audubon Societies is bearing 

 fruit. No longer are the plumes torn from the 

 nesting egret. The bird is increasing again in 

 numbers and, after the breeding season in the 

 South, occasionally wanders to the North. In the 

 last dozen years there have been several incur- 

 sions of this great bird from the South. On an 

 October day in 1919 I was so fortunate as to 

 flush one of these splendid birds from a bog in 

 the dunes. Pure white with the exception of 

 black legs and yellow bill, as large as the great 

 blue heron, it was an impressive sight as it rose, 

 slowly doubled up its long neck, extended behind 

 its black legs, and flew out over the marshes. An 

 hour later, from my house, I discovered it wad- 



