Morning drive
1891
 April 13
  Mass. 
  Watertown & Belmont. -Cloudless and warm for the 
season the therm. 62[degrees] at noon. Wind W. changing
 to S. W. at sunset.
  My morning drive was over the usual ground.
spring advances steadily with none of the usual 
setbacks. The grass getting very green on the 
lawn and southern slopes. Toads trilling to day 
for the first time. Heard two Song Sparrows 
in the N. E. corner of Mt. Auburn and one 
in Mr. Lowell's place the last being the nearest 
to my home of any heard this season. 
Immediately behind Mt. Auburn saw three 
Bluebirds. They must be settled for the season
& preparing to breed there.
  Kept on to the Payson place stopping the 
house directly in front of the lodge to listen
for the Mockingbird which I saw on the 5th.
To my great delight as well as surprise I heard
[margin]Mockingbird singing on Payson Place[/margin]
him at once in full song apparently some distance 
off towards the house but he proved to be less 
than 100 yds. from me behind the spruce hedge 
which broke & muffled the sound. I spent nearly 
an hour with him (In Systematic notes are 
details of the experience,) then drove homeward 
by way of Fresh Pond. On the [?] place 
found Faxon looking for the Sparrow Hawks 
[?] which I pointed out to him. No bird 
visible. Of course F. wanted to see & hear the 
Mockingbird so I drove him back to the Payson
Place where he was quickly gratified. I 
reached home at 10:30.
[margin]Mocking bird
singing on
Payson place
[/margin]