(March 22)
the pitch pines. Looking closely I at length discovered
three of these birds feeding among the cones & shot
them all in quick succession & also a fourth which
flew into the tree just after the third bird fell.
  During the next half hour we repeatedly heard
& saw Crossbills flying about in & over these woods
but could find none in the trees. Crossing the
road we explored the cedars & pines to the south
seeing a single Crossbill only. Returning we shot
three tree Sparrows in the bushes along the
road & in the cedars near the delta found
a large flock of Purple Finches & Pine Linnets
& with them four Crossbills. Several of the Purple
Finches were singing. The Crossbills were in the
top of a red cedar apparently feeding on its
berries. I shot three of them, two at one shot.
One lodged in the top of a tall cedar giving
me a hard and dirty (for the trunk was wet)
climb before I could secure it.
  We saw no Robins, Fox Sparrows, nor Red-
wings. Robins were seen by Bolles in great numbers
on the same ground March 18th.
  On a sunny hillside I started a butterfly
(Vanessa antiopa). Have not heard, or heard of,
any Hylas or Wood Frogs yet.
  The country presented a typical March aspect
to-day about two-thirds bare and brown, the
other third dirty-white with wasted snow drifts
& patches or blue gray with sodden snow ice. The
roads everywhere in a horrible condition, the frost
coming out. The pines & cedars very bright fresh
green or olive green.