1889
June 12
Cambridge, Mass.
Cloudy and cool with light S.W. wind.
  To the swamps with Denton at 9 a.m. Met Faxon at
Pout Pond. He told us that someone was shooting on
the big meadow and we soon saw the fellow and
heard him fire several shots., After a little a started
out of this meadow and Faxon went around by
the Central to intercept him. He said that he was
killing Red-wings "to set up". Had already bagged four or
five. Faxon advised him to stop the slaughter and
he finally crossed the brook near Beach Island &
went off in the direction of Arlington.
  Returning to Pout Pond I went into the swamp
equipped with long wading pants which came up nearly
to my neck. The first rod or two I found the mud 
& water nearly waist deep but after getting in a
little way the water shoaled to about a foot with
hard clay bottom.
  For nearly three hours I searched for the nest
of the little Rail(?) that we have heard singing so
many times in this spot. Found two Rails nests
both in the tops of tussocks & both empty. One looked
new and had some bits of green flags in the lining.
Also found two Swamp Sparrows nests both with broken
egg shells.
  When I first entered this swamp a Virginia Rail,
evidently aroused by my intrusion, began calling
among some willows & young maples. I finally went
to the spot when the bird's anxiety became visably
increased & another, evidently his mate, began calling
also. I finally found one thin young. a little
thing only a few days old, squatting on the mud