80 



flight, and disappear into the cat-tails. The birds scattered 

 over the marsh assemble in the same place, and all spend the 

 night together. 



Every available perch, not so high as to be conspicuous, is 

 filled with birds down to the water's surface, but were it not 

 for the unspeakable din that arises from the hundreds of 

 throats, one would scarcely be aware of their presence, so 

 inconspicuous are they against the dark water. If one dis- 

 turbs them now, there is a rush of wings, but they do not fly 

 far. Raillike they drop back into the marsh a short distance 

 away, and soon resume their indescribable discord. As night 

 falls, their notes become more subdued. A little crowding now 

 and then brings forth a few scolding notes, or the sudden crack- 

 ling of a flag under its unaccustomed weight startles a cry 

 from some frightened bird, but otherwise all is quiet. And so 

 it remains until the next morning. Unlike most of the marsh 

 birds, they are seldom heard during the night. 



The next morning the evening's performance is reversed, 

 and the procedure during each day of the migration is prac- 

 tically the same. A month later, when other birds have 

 arrived, the comparative times of awakening and periods of 

 activity of the various marsh birds are better observed At 

 this time the Song Sparrows are singing by four o'clock, and 

 the Swamp Sparrows a few minutes later. The stars are still 

 bright when a Short-eared Owl is heard giving its peculiar 

 call and is dimly seen as it circles near. The Sparrows con- 

 tinue to sing. It is 4.25 a.m., and the first Bittern awakes 

 and sounds its liquid notes across the marsh. The Gulls are 

 heard on the lake, and ten minutes later the Wilson's Snipe 

 begin to bleat and perform their aerial evolutions. The Gulls 

 start up the valley for their daily skirmishing in the fields. 

 It is fully three-quarters of an hour since the first Song Sparrow 

 was heard, the morning star has sunk below the horizon, the 

 first signs of dawn have long since appeared, and now the 

 first Redwing is heard. As though awaiting the signal, a 

 hundred birds give answer, and day is announced. The 

 stars die out and color appears in the east; the greens and 

 yellows change to rose, and the rose to red. A Great Blue 



