1891
June
Description of Eel Pond Marshes (No 3)
North Truro, Mass.
in October and the young were slaughtered in
July & August before they were able to fly. The 
inevitable result followed, the breeding colony
being quickly reduced to a few pairs and
the migrants diminishing with corresponding
rapidity.
  The shores of the pond to-day are everywhere
bordered by Cat-tail flags of both species, the
broad-leafed kind predominating. On the side
towards the beach ridge they form a mere fringe
or belt, only a few rods in width, and along
the base of the great, bare sand-hill the margin
of the water is nearly or quite free from them
as well as from other vegetation, there being a
fine, clean sand beach much frequented by
Plover and the various Sandpipers, but around
most of the remainder of the pond the open 
water is separated from the rising ground at 
the bases of the encircling hills by acres upon
acres of level marsh, once salt meadows, now
covered with a uniform, dense and, in places,
exceedingly rank growth of Cat-tails. The surface
of the ground if free from water but composed
of dark-colored, sticky and excessively foetid
mud into which the foot sinks to the knee
at every step bringing up suddenly, however, on
a hard bottom of sand or clay beneath. The
labor of withdrawing one's feet from the clinging
mud is excessive and the foul grass which
arise whenever the surface is stirred are nearly
overpowering at times especially when there is no wind.