1890
June 14
Swampscott, Massachusetts.
saw only Rhus typhina in Swampscott) & blackberry & blueberry
bushes which formed extension & very dense thickets in 
places. Here I found an Indigo Bird's nest with four fresh
eggs in a sumac and a Chat's nest with an equal number of
equally fresh eggs in a cluster of blueberry bushes. The [male] Chat
was in full song within a few rods of the nest, the [female]
was sitting & allowed me to almost touch her before starting.
  Returned to the house for lunch at noon. At 2 P.M.
started out again driving to a point a little beyond 
Phillip's Beach station and working home through the
woods. Found a nest of Black & White Creeper containing
a beautifully marked set of four fresh eggs. The [female] darted out
within six inches of my foot and ran so straight & 
swiftly through the grass and weeds that I took her at
first for a mouse. The nest was placed on the level ground
not near a rock or tree trunk but was canopied like an
Oven-birds.
  We heard two Chats singing besides several Wood Thrushes
and  White eyed Vireos. Saw a Cooper's & heard a Red-shouldered
Hawk. Small birds of the commoner species such as Red-eyes,
Chestnut sided & Yellow Warblers, Wilson's Thrushes, Black & white
Creepers, Black-throated Green Warblers, Cat-birds, Towhees, 
Maryland Yellow-throats etc. are thrice as numerous here as
in any part of our Middlesex County region with which I
am familiar. Grosbeaks are entirely wanting and Tanagers
rare althouth the country is by no mean unsuited
to them in many place*[places].
  On our way home visited the Chat's nest found
yesterday. The [female] was again sitting on her two young &
again saluted us with her disagreeable mewing protest
after we had started her from the nest.