1886
July 31
Concord, Massachusetts.
Cloudy with light rain in morning. P.M. clear and 
hot. Entire day sultry and still.
  In the forenoon paddled up river to above
the French farm. I went especially for Swallows 
and found a large flock of them clustering like
bees over the branches of a cluster of willows over
the water. Shot four in two shots, all Barn Swallows.
The flock was almost entirely of this species with two
white-bellies and five or six Bank Swallows. After
being driven from the willows they all elighted
on a steep gravely slope where I shot a white-belly,
a beautiful young bird, and later another Barn
Swallow flying.
  Saw a [?] maculata and a Ring-neck Plover,
both flying, following the course of the river. A few
Martins flying high in air circling about and warbling,
Bobolinks ch[?]ing as usual. Song Sparrows, Banks
and a Yellow-winged Sparrow singing; also a Quail
calling bob-white. Button bush in full bloom.
White water lilies still making a good show but
on the decline.
  In the afternoon met Bradford Torrey at the Station
and drove him to Sudbury. He had never [?]
Henslow's or Yellow-winged Sparrows & we went in
search of them. Heard one of the former in the
[?] Brook meadows and two of the latter. Also
heard two Cistothorus stellaris which was likewise
a stranger to Torrey. Besides these birds heard
only a Towhee or two, several Meadow Larks, and
a Grass Finch.  The singing of birds is about over
for this year. The stridulous notes of grasshoppers are