1889
June 14
Clear and hot with light S. W. wind.
  Met Torrey at Hill's Crossing, by appointment, at 5 P. M.
& walked down the track with him to the Big Meadow.
where we listened until nearly dark. Heard a new
cry a low ghu-r-r-r-r  uttered in a rough almost growling
tone. The creature making it (probably a Rail of some
species) moved rather quickly through the grass, passing
within a few yards of us and finally heading out
into the meadow.
  Heard three different kik-kik-kik, queee birds, one
north of the Central, the other two south, one of the
latter in the distance towards Port Pond.
  Carolina Rails very silent; one or two calling Ka-e,,
then whinnying. One of the former had a softer
voice than usual its song sounding like kire-wee,
(which Torrey applies to all).
  While sitting on the railroad embankment I saw
a Least Bittern distinctly. It flew in the usual
slow, feeble manner from one beg of cat tails
to the next. It was about 70 yds. off on the banks
of Alewife Brook not far from where we heard one
of the kik-kik-kik birds. It is singular that we
have not heard the coo, coo-coo if there are really
Least Bitterns established in this marsh.
  On this railroad we found a dead Swamp
Sparrow which had been apparently killed either
by a train or by striking the wire. It was a [female],
evidently with young, for it held a small worm
firmly in its bill & had finished incubating.
  Cuckoos were flying about over the meadows this
evening but they have nearly stopped calling.