seeing a Wagtail on the walk &
Jackdaws & Swallows flying about the
wall. Passed through the gardens.
Very beautiful & elaborate. Apple trees
trained on trellises, pear trees clipped in
bee hive shape bearing half grown fruit
& blossoms on same tree. Gardner took
us around hall & across lawn. A Missel
Thrush hopping on turf - [?] fellow.
Next down slope to Serpentine a long
winding pool. Moor hens, Mute Swans[.]
Next through alder thicket & across
meadow bordered by swampy oak &
willow woods. [Female] Mallard flew over
quacking. White-throat singing. Heronry 
in willows. Jays. Thrush's nest.
Turtle Dove cooing. Willow Warblers
singing. Robins. Return across meadow.
Chaffinch. Down winding road. Pond with
willows. Wren. Kinglet. Return to Chester
by steamer. Marsh Warbler. House Martins
Wood Pigeons, Skylarks.
To Chester Park in evening. Nothing new.
June 27 Chester
  Most of day cloudy with high wind
and occasional showers.
  After breakfast visited
collection of old furniture & silver
with E. R. S. spending two hours &
buying a silver mustard pot &
salt cellars. Many curious and
beautiful things here including a
heavy carved chair in which I was
invited to sit where an iron arm
shot out over my thighs from each
side pinning my fast. After chaffing
me a little the salesman released 
me. It is said that the Duke of
Edinburgh was served in the same
manner a few year[s] since. Saw
some fine old swords, suits of armor
and beautifully inlaid Moorish
guns one with Damascus barrel,
rifled, yet supposed to be much older
than the date of adoption of
rifling by English makers.
  Took 12.20 train for