1887                        
June 17 
Sudbury Marshes, Wayland, Mass.,
Early morning cloudy; after 7 a.m. clear with N.E.
to N.W. wind. Very hot at noon.
  Left the hotel just as the village clock was striking
seven. Meadow Larks and Bobolinks in the fields along
the way to the river. As I was pushing off in the
canoe an Orchard Oriole, doubtless the same heard in
the village June 7, began singing in the maples on
the causeway. Before I could land he flew across
a meadow into a grove of oaks where I heard
him sing a dozen times or more but he ceased
before I could reach the spot. He was a poor
singer as compared with the southern birds.
  Turning into Larnum Brook at the R.R. bridge I paddled
up about a mile (shooting two Marsh Wrens on the way
and finally landed when I heard a Short-billed Marsh Wren
singing on the 7th. There were two singing this morning
and after shooting both I found and killed two more [male]s
birds seeing several [female]s. They were in patches of fine
grass sprinkled among coarser canary grass or rushes in
which Long-bills abounded. I searched vainly for their
nests although I felt nearly sure from their actions that
they were breeding. It is possible, however, that they
have not built yet. I found a great many nests of
the Long-bills both here and elsewhere but not one
with eggs although two [female]s shot were incubating & had
laid their full sets.
  Returning to the brook I kept on in the canoe to
the highest point reached on the 7th and here
found another Short-bill singing. Going in pursuit
I shot both him and his mate, the latter flying;
unfortunately, however, I only winged the [female] and
lost her, of course, in the rank grass. I heard