150 BEACH GRASS 



below. The air was close and smelt like a hen- 

 house. Pellets and droppings were everywhere. 



On the last day of 1916, Dr. Tyler and I 

 watched the crows leaving the roost. We ar- 

 rived at 6.40, too late to see the first departures. 

 From time to time we counted the birds going by 

 in the stream to the south and as our counts 

 showed a remarkable agreement they may be 

 taken as substantially accurate. At 6.45, 105 

 passed in a minute; at 6.50, 125 passed, at 6.55, 

 58 passed, at 6.58, 121 passed and at 7.00, 63 

 passed. 



The starlings left the roost at 7 o'clock and 

 passed us with a chorus of shrill cries or perhaps 

 it was the swish of their wings that we heard. 

 They were intent on the day's hunt for food and 

 did not waste time on setting-up evolutions. At 

 7.13 the sun rose and the roost was silent and 

 deserted. 



In the early part of the winter there is plenty 

 of food for the crows. The bayberry and stag- 

 horn sumach bushes, the poison ivy, cat briers 

 and red cedars are laden with their fruit. The 

 salt marshes and beaches furnish a bountiful 



