466 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



nvo such rise was noted. This difference was due no doubt 

 to a variation in the rainfall, a difference in overflow outlets, 

 a diversity in the character of the soil, or all combined. Some 

 rivers rose to the height of their spring freshets. It ^^•as 

 found later that the headwaters of those rivers or some of 

 their principal tril)utaries had received the heaviest rainfall. 

 No rise equal to that on the Concord River is known to have 

 occurred there in any other June Avithin the memory of 

 old residents. Near Springfield the Connecticut River was 

 twice in flood ; the highest rise is said to have been about six 

 feet. Yountj l)irds in the nests were drowned, e!2:gs were 



^^ 



Map of Massachusetts, showing localities from which reports liave been received. 



destroyed, and most of the birds having nests flooded were 

 prevented from breeding again, as the floods did not subside 

 for some time. In many localities lowland pastures were 

 flooded. The copious rainfall running off" the hills inundated 

 the hollows, submerging the nests of ground-breeding and 

 ))ush-d welling sparrows. Many song sparrows thus lost 

 their second broods. These miniature floods were })erhaps 

 most destructive in Worcester County, where the clayey 

 soil is retentive, and least so in Plymouth, Barnstable and 

 Bristol counties, where the soil is light and the rainfall was 

 less. 



The extent of the mortality from floods can never be 



