640 The American Naturalist. [August, 
of the forests, Sandy Hook is increasing in both these respects. 
It is lengthening out without narrowing, and maintaining, 
protected from the axe, a dense and increasing growth—a fine 
virgin forestage on its sandy beaches of the very tree flora 
which has so nearly departed from the flats of the State. We 
have there also at least nearly the climate which with such 
shelter prevailed over the mainland, where now is the inhos- 
pitable bleakness of the naked beach. Æolie action is keep- 
ing up an undertow on the coast line, carrying to the Hook 
and depositing a part of the very material which subsidence 
and tidal wash is stealing from the shore southward. And so 
dense is the growth of cedars, with grand outliers of the crim- 
son berried hollys, that not only are these evergreen groves 
opulent in food, but also practically impervious to the winter 
winds. Here are rookeries of crows, which almost blacken 
the air as they return in the evening from their daily foraging. 
Here, too, are robins by “the thousands,” both summer and 
winter. And here too in this bird paradise has our Mimus 
polyglottus, summer and winter, as far back as the memory of 
man goeth, found a hospitable home. With warm housing 
and a generous board a fig for “the sunny South.” With 
desire satisfied the migratory instinct has died out. 
Let me close with a little avian episode. At Sandy Hook is 
a military establishment for cannon practice and testing the 
new monster ordnance and projectiles. So bold and familiar 
are these birds that they seem not to mind the flying and 
exploding shells. The wife of the superintendent, having 
found a nest of mocking birds, made it frequent visits, to which 
the parent birds seemed not to object. The lady’s interest in 
her find increased, and when the young became fledglings she 
removed them from the nest to a cage and brought them up 
as pets. To her surprise the old birds kept near the young 
ones, becoming regular visitors, especially at feeding time, thus 
sharing with the young the lady’s bounty. Their tameness 
became remarkable. The fully feathered young were allowed 
their freedom, and parents and offspring would betake them- 
selves to the grove, but would return on call of their benefac- 
tress at feeding time, when would ensue a scene of interest 
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