Apr 25 1888
hopelessly knotted together that it took me some time
to disentangle them after waiting several minutes to
give them the opportunity to do so themselves. They
tried hard enough but their frantic efforts seemed
to result in only greater confusion. They made a cluster
that would have filled a large hat. I counted them
carefully, as one by one they glided off after being
liberated, and made the number seven. They were all
of nearly equal and about medium size. Near the
spot was a ledge with crevices into which most of them
retreated.
  Wood frogs and Marsh frogs in full cry, hylas also
piping but not freely. The croaking of the former
heard at a distance reminded me of the gabble of
Brant although it does not perhaps resemble it closely.
Antiopa butterflies out in great numbers to-day. They
made me think of Woodcock's nests & I searched
a little for one in the runs but did not  visit
the spot where I found the nest in 1875. Saw no
droppings or bor[?]gs.
  As I was watching a Buteo lincatus sailing
at a great height it suddenly closed its wings
and shot down head long fully 1000 ft. curving
upward slightly at these tree tops then falling again
to the ground apparently. I think it swooped on
some animal or reptile. The descent was a
superb sight.
  On the way home saw a Falco sparverius near
Bird's Pond. It crossed the road just ahead &
passed within gun-shot flying very like a wild
Pigeon.
  Saw two White Bellies & one Barn Swallow flying over the warren runs.
Veratrum viride about a foot high in swamps in clumps light green
& early [?], about the only really green thing in the woods.