1889
Dec. 4
Marston's Mills, Mass.
Cloudy with strong N. E. wind and frequent snow squalls.
  I came here yesterday by the 4.15 P. M. train from
Boston bringing my 20 g. gun and the Gordon setter
puppy "Dandy" (sixteen months old) my chief object
being to try the latter thoroughly on Quail & Ruffed Grouse.
I is thirteen years since I last saw Capt. Baxter & his
good wife but I found them little changed and Marston's 
Mills not at all changed. The same little quaint village
with the woods, fields and swamps just as yore.
  At about 9 A. M. I started out crossing the road and
entering the great woods behind the Hinckley house.
A strong, chill N. E. wind was blowing with every [?] &
then a flurry of snow. It snowed last night also and
the entire face of the country was white for the first
time this year but the depth of the total fall did
not exceed an inch, just enough to show tracks well.
  Passing a moment among some pines to watch
a mixed flock of Chickadees and Kinglets (satrapa)
I entered an opening beyond and skirted its border
encouraging the dog to range among the oak scrub,
as well as I could. He had not gone far when he
ran plump over a Ruffed Grouse which lay very close
under some huckleberry brush and, upon rising, came
directly over my head. I shot at it after it passed
me but missed. Following it the dog, after a long
search, flushed it again showing no disposition to point
although he snuffed the ground eagerly where it lain.
I again followed it and after a still longer search
the puppy flushed it a third time from a cluster
of ink berry bushes (Hex glabla) in a swamp. This
time I made a slight point on its track but