1893
Aug. 7
(No 2) 
Concord, Mass.

   A few birds sang this forenoon as the thunder storm           
was coming up and around others in the afternoon just          
before the second storm, in both instances most freely
when the clouds were close were upon us and the thunder
[?rolling?] heavily. There was also a little singing just 
before sunset but in all I heard only eight or ten
species and scarce twice as many individuals. There
can be no doubt that the season of bird singing is 
practically ended for this season.
[margin]Singing Birds[/margin]
   
The Red-wings began on the wild [?side?] along the              
river upwards of two weeks ago when it was still                     
in blossom eating the [?stamiata} flowers as I satisfied             
myself by actual observation. They are now fast stripping
the stalks of the grain which is [?green] & milky & 
not nearly fully grown. The introduction of this 
plant into Concord River by some of the young
Sportsmen (Derby, Pascott & others) ten or twelve years
ago has been a great boon to the Blackbirds and 
to the farmers as well by diverting the birds from
the cultivated crops which they do not now molest 
at all at this season.
[margin] Red-wings 
 eat blossoms
of wild [?rice][/margin]
   
In my floating boathouse I found early this afternoon               
at least seven Musk-rats. They were all very tame                   
allowing me to creep [?] in & to watch them from a                    
distance of three or four feet. One old female was
suckling a young about as big as a Chipmunk, lying on
her side, the young pushing in under and butting
against her forcibly. The mother meanwhile kept going over
her offsprings back with her teeth nipping rapidly as if
to kill fleas. Another young of the [?same], soon as the first [presently]
came skimming along under son & climbing out of water joined its brothers.
[margin]Musk-rats
in the 
boat house[/margin]
