1892
April 24
Concord, Massachusetts.
Mass.
Concord. - Cloudless the sky a soft, tender blue, the sun
warm, a cool invigorating W. wind. Altogether a simply
[?] day, for this or, indeed, any season.
  To Ash Swamp with Mr. Buttrick at 9 A.M.
Mike driving us up in the farm wagon. Entered 
the swamp from the western end. The benzoin
bushes were in full bloom and made a fine show
of golden coloring against the gray-brown background
of leafless woods & meadows. This appears to be our
earliest flowering shrub except Cassandra of which
a few blossoms were fairly open yesterday (Of course
I except the willows, poplars, hazels, sweet [?] &
other catkin flowering shrubs & trees). The buds of
the shad bush are swollen nearly to bursting but
none have opened yet.
[margin]Spice bush in
bloom.[/margin]
  I saw the first dandelion blossoms (two) on the
22nd. To-day we found houstonia, potentilla,
and everlasting (two species) in flower in limited
numbers on sunny slopes.
[margin]First dandelion
blossom[/margin]
  By one of the big boulders in Hubbard pasture we
flushed a bevy of Quail from under the very same
cedar where I started what was doubtless the
same flock last February. Three of their number
have fallen victim to the foxes or gunners for
there were only five to-day. Also started a Partridge.
[margin]Quail[/margin]
  For some time we had heard the barking of a hound
west of the road. As we came out on the crest of
a knoll near the lime kiln there was a sharp
rustling of leaves in the hollow below and a
flash of yellow up the opposite slope. It was
a Fox which we had headed & turned back
[margin]Fox pursued
by a hound.[/margin]