1878 Nantucket
Aug. [August] 19. Monday. Clear and cool
the air sparkling as in our finer
September weather. E. R. S. [Elizabeth R. Simmons] left this
morning for home. I drove her
down to the steamer. As I was
returning heard the clear whistle of
an Upland Plover flying over the town,.
Later in the afternoon hunted up
a Mr. Sweet who has some mounted
birds. Among them was a fine Cygnus
[blank space] shot at [blank space] on this
island [blank space.] He also had a pair
of wings of a Hy. [Hydrochelidon] plumbea, a
fine adult Sula bassana, and 
a Mergulus alle. The latter species
was he said abundant here in the
winter.
1878 Nantucket
Aug. [August]. 20. Tuesday. Clear and a
remarkably fine day. Started off
at 8 A.M. with Meiggs an islander
and an experienced gunner. Drove
out to some Plover ground near the
south shore where on the smooth
turf we found a flock of eleven
Numenius borealis feeding, but they
were too shy to be approached. Upland
Plover were numerous but exceedingly
shy. I killed one at a very long 
shot with no. 3. Drove from there
to Hummock pond where I shot 
nine Sterna antillarum several of
them immature. Saw here, two
Hy [Hydrochelidon] plumbea which were fishing
with the other terns, and missed a
good shot at one of them. Saw also
seven Black Ducks & a Loon, flying.
On the return to town shot a Wild
Pigeon, a [male] ad. [adult] in superb plumage
and fired a few long shots at
Upland Plover. Reached town by
3.30 P.M.