1891.
June 3
(No. 2)
Mass.
North Truro. - At 8.30 we started out following
a lane to the lower end of the marsh which
is separated from the Eel Pond by a dyke and
then keeping up the edge of this marsh
for half-a-mile or more. There were hundreds 
of acres of cat-tails on our left and innumerable
pools and ditches besides a broad creek
which wound up the middle. In fact the
place seemed even better adapted for marsh
birds than the region about the pond but
something essential must be lacking for we
heard only one Rail and not a single
Gallinule. Warren Small says that the
latter species is never found here. Bitterns
in moderate numbers were seen and heard
and Miller shot a fine male which we
intend dissecting in order to study the
peculiar vocal (pumping) apparatus lately
described by Maynard.
  I killed a Black-billed Cuckoo and heard
a Cat-bird and a few Song Sparrows. A
single Meadow Lark and Savanna Sparrow
were seen besides one or two Kingbirds. The
cat-tails proved absolutely inaccessible on
account of the numerous broad pools and
ditches which intersected the marsh at
every point where we tried to enter it.
  Returning we passed the boat house and 
climbed the ridge by a cart road starting a
Blue Jay from some low bushes and
seeing a Night Heron flying over the