140 BEACH GRASS 



erners and southerners rose from their meeting 

 place in the dunes and flew low to join their 

 noisy brethren on the hillside. This river of 

 black wings from the south was a continuous one 

 and it was joined just before its debouch on the 

 hillside by the stream from the west. The river 

 from the north had split into two layers: the 

 lower flying birds came to rest on the hill — the 

 higher flying ones favored by the strong north- 

 west wind, continued on their way south, not- 

 withstanding the great current of crows that was 

 sweeping north below them. They joined their 

 comrades in the dunes and retraced their steps. 

 No signs of starvation and impaired vigor in 

 these unnecessary flights, or in the games of tag 

 in which two or more of the birds would at times 

 indulge I 



The pace is now fast and furious. The birds 

 are anxious to get within touch of the roost be- 

 fore it is dark but none have yet entered it. 

 At 4.15 p. M., 135 birds pass in a minute from 

 the south on their way to join the concourse on 

 the hillside. A little later this southern river be- 

 comes so choked with birds that it is impossible 



