1891
March 30
(No 2)
Mass. 
Waltham. - Faxon called late this afternoon to ask
me to accompany him to the Warren run to hear a
Woodcock sing. Torrey had heard one on the 17th
at Melrose, Bolles another at Lexington two or three
nights ago; so we felt nearly sure of success.
  I got ready at once and we took the 5 P.M.
train leaving the cars at Clematis Brook. The
afternoon was clear with a piercing but not
very strong east wind. Few birds singing, a
Song Sparrow or two and one Red-wing bring all
that we heard on our way to the woods.
As we climbed the hillside near the stone house
Faxon showed me an interesting cluster of red
pines, two large trees 35 or 40 ft. high and several
small seedlings. Passing the asylum buildings
we descended into the valley beyond when suddenly
the tinkling chorus of a horde of Hylas burst
on my ears. It was sweet music after the
long, hard winter. Faxon heard them first
yesterday. He heard Rana Sylvatica on the 25th
and R. halecina this morning in the Fresh Pond
swamps.
  We ate our lunch in a hollow sheltered from the
east wind, seeing a Downy Woodpecker getting his
evening meal in a wild apple tree and upward
of fifty crows going to roost in the white pine
woods to the west. Then we crossed the hollow
ascended the last knoll and listened long
and anxiously for a Woodcock. Nothing audible
but the Hylas r[h]ythmic chant in the swamp
behind and a half-hearted song from a