Concord, Mass.
1893
July 17
(No 2)
  A little before sunset this evening I saw a flock of
fifteen Chimney Swifts flying in a large circle over the
Derby's house acting precisely as if they were preparing to
descend into one of the chimneys to roost. Unfortunately I
was unable to watch them for more than a minute or
less during which time they kept flying around and
around. When I came out of our house a little later
they had all disappeared.
[margin]Chimney 
Swifts[/margin]
  At frequent intervals last night between 9 and 11p.m.
I heard Swifts “rumbling” in our Chimney. What can
they have been doing? The rumbling frequently occurred
repeatedly at short intervals, certainly not over half a
minute, thus leading us to conclude that they were
not passing out of and into the chimney but merely
hovering, or something of the kind, within it. Can they
have been teaching their young to fly? The night was
dark and clear. I also heard this [delete]same[/delete] rumbling at
various times through the day.
  After tea I took my usual walk. There was a superb
sunset but I missed the best of it by turning into Derby's
lane and keeping on up the Damsdale to Pratt's nursery
& beyond. The evening was still and comparatively cool after
the terrible sultry heat of the day. Birds of certain
species were singing as freely as in June. Thus I heard
several Robins, a Wood Thrush, two Cat Birds, three Oven birds
(all gave the flight song), a Mniotilta (midsummer warbler), a
Black-throated Green Warbler, three Towhees, two Indigo Birds,
several Song Sparrows, two Grass Finches, a Field Sparrow, three Chippies, a Maryland Yellow-throat,
a Quail and (after twilight set in) a Whippoorwill.
[margin]Evening walk
Birds singing at evening[/margin]
  This is about the height of fire-fly season. They light
the meadows these warm evenings with a myriad dancing fairy torches.