under a tussock.
  After eating lunch I entered the swamp again, this
time just south of the outlet to the pond. There is
an immense tract of tall cat-tails here and in them
we have heard many Caroline Rails of late. I searched
the place pretty carefully but could find no nests.
In a bunch of tall Canary grass I came on a Swamp
Sparrow's nest with four eggs which I left.
  I penetrated through a belt of dense young maples
to the shore of Pout Pond which looked familiar
enough although the water was entirely covered by
shim & duck weed. While near its edge I heard the
kik-kik-kik, ki-queee of the supposed Little Rail(?). To
my surprise it was near the south end of the pond.
If the bird had not moved we have marked his
position very badly hitherto. He seemed to be in
dense bushes this afternoon. This swamp was terribly foul & offensive.
  During the time spent about this swamp we
saw Green Herons at frequent intervals. Swamp Sparrows
& Red-wings breeding very numerously. Some Grackles
evidently nesting in the maples & showing much anxiety.
A few Wilson's Thrushes. A pair of White-bellied Swallows
feeding young in a signal ball on the Fitchburg R.R.
A pair of Kingfishers taking food to their young in a 
bank nest of Pout Pond.
  Late in the p.m. Denton & I hunted the big meadow.
Found five Rail's nests in one little cove only a few rods
in extent. All were empty but at least four looked
new. Two Rails, evidently resenting my intrusion, called
ti-hi-hi in the grass near the middle of the meadow. I
got within a few yards of them but had only a glimpse
at one which looked very small. Found a Swamp Sparrows
nest with four very blue eggs. Nest in Canary grass, edge of ditch.