1886
June 16
Concord, Massachusetts.
Clear and cold with strong S.W. wind
  Starting at about ten o'clock I drove to Wayland
and stabling my horse, took a boat on the river, and
went in search of Marsh Wrens. For a space of half-
a-mile or more they were rather numerous ice the
tall blue joint grass along the river bank; but I
was disappointed in the colony nevertheless for I did
not hear or see over twenty males in all, and could
find no eggs, although they were certainly breeding.
  Besides Marsh Wrens there were numerous Red-
Wings and almost equally numerous Rails. It was
useless to try to flush the latter for the grass was
higher than my head; but every few minutes I
heard their cries in various directions. The majority
were Rallus Virginianis. In fact I heard only one
Carolina Rail.
  In a bed of especially rank blue joint, I
flushed a [male] Coach Bittern. It rose several rods off
and flew as many more in the sluggish Rail-like
way which causes it to resemble a Rail much more
than a Heron.
  On the river I also heard a few Swamp
Sparrows, and at about 3 P.M. a Bittern began
[?] and kept it up for an hour or more at
intervals.
  The road to Wayland is generally wild and
little settled. I saw and heard many birds both
going and returning; but nothing of much interest
except Henshaw's Sparrows, of which I heard no less
than six different males on the way home. One
was near Wayland; four about midway between
Wayland and Concord, and one in Concord near