Voices of a New England Marsh 55 



one is near the spot where they are uttered, may be heard, under favorable 

 conditions, at a distance of fully half a mile. 



Another equally mysterious bird which we hear occasionally in May or 

 June (but by no means every season) in the Fresh Pond marshes, and 

 which we have some reasons for believing may be the King Rail, utters a 

 grunting umpb, umpb, umpb, umph, usually deep and guttural, but sometimes 

 rather harsh and vibrant, and not unlike the quacking of a hoarse -voiced 

 Duck. These notes are all on the same key and separated by rather wide 

 but approximately regular intervals. 



About the beginning of July the Robins, Song Sparrows and Swamp 

 Sparrows enter on a second song period which lasts for several weeks. 

 During the latter part of this month and most of August the marshes are 

 enlivened by the presence of great flocks of young Red-wings and Bobo- 

 links, which assemble to feed on the seeds of the wild rice and of various 

 other semi-aquatic sedges or grasses, as well as by swarms of Swallows, most 

 of which have come down from the north. The Red-wings utter now a 

 chattering cha-cha cry, the Bobolinks a liquid, resonant pink. The latter 

 sound is especially characteristic of this season, as is also the rapid, musical 

 whistle of the Upland Plover which we occasionally hear about sunrise 

 towards the end of August. 



Early in summer the bull frogs and green frogs hold high revels in 

 the marshes, especially at night. Every one, of course, is familiar with 

 the deep, heavy bass of the bull frog, although it oftener provokes 

 ridicule than inspires the admiration which its fine sonorous quality 

 really merits. The green frog utters an abrupt, incisive tung, tung- 

 tung-tung, the last three notes being lower in the scale than the first 

 and the general effect- very like that produced by "strumming" slowly on 

 the strings of a bass viol. Both of these frogs may be heard as early as 

 the latter part of May and as late as September, but they are most 

 vociferous in June and July. 



Late in August or early in September the rank, fully-matured vege- 

 tation of the marshes begins to show traces of russet, but the prevailing 

 color is still green of various shades blended with delicate tints of 

 lavender and purple. The tall, graceful reeds which fringe the pools and 

 ditches are now alive with Rails and Sparrows of several species. These 

 birds vary greatly in numbers from day to day as the successive flights 

 arrive from the north and pass on still further southward. The Sparrows 

 are conspicuous enough, for they are constantly calling to one another and 

 flying back and forth across the open spaces, but the presence of the 

 Rails is not likely to be discovered, at least during the midday hours, 

 unless they are startled by some sudden sound. If they are at all numerous 

 the report of a gun or the splash of a stone thrown into the shallow 

 water among the reeds will be instantly followed by a chorus of keks, 



