1893
March 20
(no 2)
E. Watertown, Mass.
singing sotto voce - almost in a whisper.
It was the only one I heard.
  A Flicker among the oaks near Mt. Auburn 
Tower "shouted" at short regular intervals but
it was not in really good voice. 
[margin]Flicker[/margin]
  Crows were everywhere flying about in
pairs, cawing noisily, and alighting in
the pines.
[margin]Crows[/margin]
  I listened and looked for Bluebirds among
the apple orchards but not one did I
see or hear although Denton reports them
numerous & in full song at Wellesley this 
morning. Can they have forsaken the 
E. Watertown country?
  English Sparrows were abundant and
noisy throughout all the country that
I traversed and their monotonous chirping
was usually the only sound that could
be heard.
[margin]Eng. Sparrows[/margin]
  They are digging into French's hill on the
south side for the gravel and if it proves
of sufficiently good quantity this beautiful 
wooded ridge is doomed, I was told. Perhaps
it is just as well so for the trees are coming 
down & houses are going up over most of the
surrounding country.