1893
May 18
(No 3)
East Lexington, Mass.
given with equal emphasis and in the same key. This 
song resembled that of the Chiff-chaff of Europe but was
shorter and more wiry in tone. It proved however to be
merely a prelude to the usual song which the bird
finally tacked on to the end of it once or twice. His
chirp was also abnormal & characterized by the same
dry, metallic quality as the notes just described. He
had a mate and apparently had chosen the knoll as
a breeding ground.
[margin]Upper Reservoir
pond[/margin]
  On our way back across the pond we came up
a Greebe carrying several young on her back & for the
first time in my life I had a good view of this
most interesting performance which I shall describe 
presently in detail.
After dining at the hotel we walked around the south
shore of the pond to the spot where we landed this
forenoon. While we were sitting here the male Gallinule
swam across from his island and fed for a long time
within a few yards of the shore. He allowed us to get within 
ten or twelve yards of him & showed almost no fear
of us.
After we had been here an hour or more three men
appeared on the opposite side of the pond and moving
slowly along fired forty or fifty shots in the course
of a short time. Through the glass we could see that they
were shooting at Swallows. We finally found a 
little tub of a boat in which we crossed to them. 
Near where they were standing I picked up a male
Red-wing which they had just shot & left to die of its
wounds. We frightened them sufficiently to stop this wanton
[margin]A trio
of vandals.[/margin]