I 



no BEACH GRASS 



and, on account of the blinding gusts of fine 

 powdered snow, did not notice that the tide had 

 filled one of the creeks in my path. The coat- 

 ing of slush ice and snow concealed the water 

 and, before I was aware of it, I was floundering 

 in the mixture, but by kicking off my snowshoes, 

 I managed speedily to reach shore. Two other 

 surprises on this cross-marsh walk were more 

 pleasing. Twice I flushed from a few inches 

 in front of the tip of my snowshoe meadowlarks 

 that had been hiding in well protected nooks in 

 the snow-covered grass. Their bowers were 

 drifted over by the light snow, through which 

 they burst like bombs in flight. 



