evident that the region has but a scanty bird
population during the winter months. Why this
should be is somewhat mysterious for it is fully as
well wooded and watered as, and scarcely more cold
and wind-swept than, Mt. Graylock in Berkshire Co.
where, on this trip, we afterwards found a rather
exceptional rich and abundant [delete]bird[/delete] winter bird fauna.
  During the two days we spent at Ashby we saw no
Blue Jays, no Woodpeckers of any species, no Hawks, and
no Sparrows except the single bird above mentioned.
  On our return drive to Fitchburg the morning of
Dec. 14th we actually did not note a wild bird of
any species although the day was still and not at all
cold.
  A few English Sparrows were observed in the village
of Ashby, not over half-a-dozen.
[margin]Dec. 14[/margin]
Ashby to North Adams
  Cloudy and still. A snow storm began about
noon and lasted into the night.
  Left Ashby at 8.30 A. M. and drove to Fitchburg
where we took the 9.51 train for North Adams. A
little west of Fitchburg we saw, from the car windows,
a large flock of Redpolls, flying. Another flock was
seen later. There with some five or six Crows were
the only birds noticed.