100 



BIRD STUDIES WITH A CAMERA 



marsh, and after gaining an immense height disap- 

 peared, this time toward the east. 



" As the sun rose over the Palisades few birds 

 were on the wing, but great floc]\;s were perched in 

 the reeds on the banks of the creek, and as in my 



canoe I drifted slowly 

 up to them, they seemed 

 unmindful of my pres- 

 ence, when, as though at 

 a signal, they arose as 

 one bird, and after hov- 

 ering lightly overhead 

 returned to the reeds. 



" The tide was low, 

 and along the shore sev- 

 eral Sora Rail were feed- 

 ing, and, as carried by 

 the tide I floated noise- 

 lessly by, they paused in 

 their search for food, and 

 with 1ails upraised re- 

 garded me with evident 

 astonishment. A mink 

 approached the shores of 

 a small inflowing stream, 

 hesitated, then plunged 

 in, crossed, and disap- 

 peared in the tall grasses on the opposite side. The 

 air was vocal with the calls of Red- winged Black- 

 birds, the cliinh of Bobolinks, and the rattle of 

 Swamp Sparrows. 



" On a reed-grown point below was" another great 

 army of Swallows. With surprising regularity a 



40. Tree Swallows in tree. 



