Bitterns, Green and Night Herons and young 

 Black Ducks fly off, Red-shouldered Hawks scream 

 over the woods beyond, between which and you is a 

 line of high bushes and stunted oaks. In these if for- 

 tunate, you may find a Least Bittern's nest, that queer 

 little-big bird that Audubon saj^s can squeeze between 

 two books placed one inch apart. In these bushes the 

 Yellow Warbler is common, which strangely enough 

 we almost never see in our highlands. 



With half a mile of open marsh around, no build- 

 ings or cultivated lands in sight, and with these birds 

 about, one can easily believe himself to be in an unex- 

 plored spot, and who among bird or nature lovers has 

 not alwaj^s the desire for this experience! 



If you know this section well, trj^ a daj'^ in the open 

 country toward Somerville and west of it. Upland 

 Plovers commonly bred here not along ago and some 

 do yet. Their long drawn out rising and falling call 

 is one of the most wonderful bird notes. The Kill- 

 deer is also found more commonly in the flat lands 

 than in the hills, and the Henslow Sparrow is there. 

 Also among the sluggish streams the Acadian Fh^- 

 catcher is abundant. I have found three nests in as 

 man}^ hours, yet I do not think the species ever stays 

 in our upland swamps. It is one of the most interest- 

 ing and individual of birds. On the way home, if you 

 live on Mine Mount, stop in the "Ravine" where the 

 Worm-eating Warblers were a few years ago locally 

 abundant, and doubtless some are there each year 

 now. Thej^ nest on the steepest pitches of the hills on 

 both sides of the Lake opposite and below. If you 

 think you hear a Chipping Sparrow's song in the 



