1889
Dec. 11
Fitchburg to Ashby, Mass.
Cloudy with warm rain in forenoon. Afternoon clearing with
strong N. W. wind becoming cold and piercing towards sunset.
  With Mr. W. Faxon took the 11.15 A. M. train for Fitchburg
whence we drove to Ashby in the afternoon. The country
was bleak and brown except in the more sheltered swamps &
ravines where the mountain laurel formed dense masses of
shining green foliage. The only birds observed during the entire
drive of seven miles were two Crows and a Blue Jay, all three
seen about a mile N. of Fitchburg.
[margin]Ashby, Mass[/margin]
[margin]" 12[/margin]
  Clear & cold the ground frozen hard all day & most of the ponds
skimmed over. A high N. W. wind which died away at sunset.
  Starting at about 9 A. M. we drove to Mt. Watatic returning
late in the afternoon. On the way over we actually did
not see a single bird or, indeed, anything living save one red
squirrel. On the return drive we saw only a flock of Redpolls
flying over some birches just as the sun was setting. The absence
of Tree Sparrows & Chickadees is something I cannot account for.
There were many alder swamps & weed patches suitable for the
former & plenty of pines for the latter, all along the road at intervals.
  At Watatic we stabled "Hiram" in a rickety old Barn and then
began the ascent of the mountain on the N. W. side. It proved
a rough tiresome & somewhat dangerous climb for the ledges
were slippery with glare ice and there was no path through the
dense spruce forest. The wind fairly howled in the trees and
we were chilled through in spite of the violent exercise. We
passed what seemed to be a den of the Canada Porcupine
at the foot or a vertical ledge. There were several holes at
the foot of the rock all more or less strewn with fresh dung
and showing evident signs of occupancy. We looked closely
for quills but found only grayish hair most nearly, it