Friday, April 17, 1868.
  Saw the first Chippy.
Cloudy nearly all
day. Ther. about
60[degrees] - 72[degrees] - 50[degrees].
Rose as usual and
exercised the dogs.
Did not recite History
to day & got dismissed
shortly after recess.
Coming up from school
took Mr. Farnum's gun
which I think of buying.
Tried to get Ruth but he
could not go. Saw several
Savanna Sparrows on Lane & heard
a male sing; then Billy started
a Snipe, then fired twice at a King-
fisher, (first shot a Red Wing flying)
then saw a Swamp Sparrow,
then 4 or 5 Yellow Rumps, then
fired at N. Heron, then shot 4
Snipe flying & missed one, then two
Robins. Saw a Sn. sitting on a hump
perfectly motionless & making a singular
noise. Saw about 15 C. Geese.
Mosquitoes have begun to bite.
Saturday, April 18, 1868.
  Clear and a beautiful
day. Very windy in P.M.
Ther. about 38[degrees] - 45[degrees] - 
34[degrees]. Rose at 4 A.M. &
took Jack & musket.
First up to the Heron Swamp; fired
at a Musk Rat; swamps full of Swamp
Sparrows singing: Fired at a Heron
sitting & knocked out many feathers.
Then a male Wood Duck lit below
the Ap[p]le Cellar; Fired at and wounded him.
After firing at him several times
on the pond at last finished
him flying. Coming home shot a
Vir. Rail on the lane. Saw Gl. Rd. Poll.
Warblers & Yellow Rumps & heard both
sing. Also a Field Sparrow. Saw
20 Gulls on the pond. At 9 A.M.
went up to Belmont with R. Deane
taking Billy & Tiger in the shooting
wagon. Shot a Robin, 2 White
Billies, & a Woodcock all flying.
Stuffed the Rail in evening
Saw a Song Sp. with a straw.