1892
May 30
Concord, Massachusetts.
Mass.
Concord. To Ball's Hill with Chapman at 10 a.m.
[margin]To Ball's Hill with Chapman[/margin]
  The day was cloudy, most of the time, with
a fresh S to S. E. wind & an occasional dash of
rain drops. We sailed all the way down following 
the river. On reaching the landing we put our
things in the house and took a walk over
my land. Saw a few Black-polls and two
Canadian Warblers. Started a pair of Carolina Doves
from some pines.
  In the afternoon we sailed down river to
a little below Davis's Hill & then beat back.
Heard two Doves cooing & saw them fly across 
the flooded meadows.
  After supper went out again in the canoes
sailing up across the Great Meadows. Two
Bitterns pumping. Tacking down then sailed
we pushed the canoes through the grass (the
water has fallen much in the last three days)
nearly to the southern edge of the meadow. Heard
two Virginia Rails. One was calling
cut. cut-cut, cutter, cutter. He kept it up
steadily far into, if not through the entire night for
we heard him as late as we were awake (about
10.30 p.m.) the sound carrying distinctly to my
house, a distance of fully half a mile.
The Bitterns did not  pump after dark but
it was deep twilight when they ceased.
[margin]Virginia Rails[/margin]