Jan'y 11
(No 2)
Cambridge.
  We divided the flock into halves and made
a rough count Faxon getting 108 and I 115 birds.
We missed some and there were others
in the trees and on the roofs of neighboring
houses. 250 would be a low estimate for the
total number assembled here at this time. 
They attracted much attention from the
passers by and people in sleighs &[and] on foot 
were continually stopping to look at them.
One man asked if there were "harbingers of
spring", a question which gave us some grim
amusement inasmuch as we were suffering
from the bitter cold and unable to stand 
still for more than a minute or two at a time.
As we were returning, about sunset, Grosbeaks
were continually passing overhead coming from
the direction of the Botanic Gardens and
flying towards the West. I afterwards learned
from Mr. Fernald that over 300 Grosbeaks 
spent the entire day in these Gardens and
from Mr. Hoffmann that there were about
70 in the College yard during the afternoon.
These figures indicate that the total number
 in the city to-day must have exceeded 1000.
  I visited the Hayes place this morning
and again with Faxon in the afternoon
but saw only a few stray Grosbeaks there.
The men at work in the marble yard told 
us that the birds finished the fruit of
the big ash before sunset yesterday. They spent
most of the afternoon eating the fallen seeds.