Cambridge
Ther [Thermometer] Thursday, Feb. 15, 1917 [February 15, 1917] Wea [Weather]
20 [degrees], 26 [degrees] Fair
Wintry weather still, sunny but hazy;
not much wind. No melting snow
since Friday last.
  Garden birds. One wintering white-throat [White-throated Sparrow]
flitting through the lilacs where he sang
a little but so faintly that I could
scarce hear him twenty yards away. 
Noticed no other birds save House Sparrows,
about twelve in number. 
  A sadly unprofitable day at the writing.
Although I devoted my entire time to
it nothing was produced except a lot
of tentative sheets every one of which
failed to express what I was trying
to say, although this should be not in
the least difficult to state. Just wherein
the trouble lies is a mystery. My brain
seems to work as well as ever except
for literary composition.
  Dick Dana [Richard Henry Dana Jr.] called about sunset
staying upwards of an hour. He is mourning
the loss of his dog "Tipperary" - found dead & 
frozen stiff out-doors, yesterday morning.

Cambridge
Ther [Thermometer] Friday, Feb. 16, 1917 [February 16, 1917] Wea [Weather]
Fair
Continued moderate cold, haze-veiled
sunshine, general absence of strong wind.
These conditions combined to make
the day comfortable if not altogether
pleasing in certain other respects.
  Garden birds. Only one White-throat [White-throated Sparrow]
and a dozen or more House Sparrows.
I had hoped that the comparatively 
mild weather might bring something
else. It was, perhaps, the underlying
cause of exceptional activity on the
part of more Gray Squirrels than I
have seen here before since last
summer. There w [were] no less than six of
them together in one tree (a sassafras)
having a mad game of romps presumably
inspired by sexual passion yet in no
wise obviously suggestive of it. This
happened about 8 A.M.
  Another day virtually wasted at
the writing. I rewrote, for at least a
tenth time, 2 pp. [pages] of M.S. [manuscript] relating to
Agelaeus [Agelaius], perhaps thereby improving them.
E. [Elizabeth R. Simmons] went to Bee this eve. [evening] I read war news
to C. [Caroline Brewster]