1892
July 1
(No 4)
Concord, Massachusetts.
Mass.
Concord.- Ball's Hill.- With the past three days there has
been a marked increase in the number of Swallows along
the river. I must have seen at least thirty on my way
down this afternoon and now over the broad expanses of water
opposite the hill there are nearly as many more skimming
in many lines low over the river or meadow. The majority
are Bank Swallows, with a good many Barn Swallows
& a few White-bellies. There are a dozen or more Swifts
with them and a Martin or two. No young Swallows out yet.
[margin]Increased
number of Swallows[/margin]
  Flickers, Veeries, Cat-birds, Red-wings, Maryland Yellow-throats
and Yellow Warblers are singing on or near the hill.
Now a Carolina Dove begins cooing in the pines above
my cabin: ērick, cŏŏŏ ; hŏŏ, hŏŏ, hŏŏ with always a marked
pause after the second note. The voice is singularly
impressive and solemn and low and sweet thrilling my
senses like the note of some rare cathedral bell. I
would go further to listen to the cooing of one of these
Doves than for any other sound which [delete]I have[/delete] can be
heard in New England.
[margin]Cooing of
Carolina Dove[/margin]
  4.30 P.M. I walk around behind the hill and visit
the Vireo's and Grosbeak's nests. The bird is sitting on
the former and when [delete]I[/delete] started her off flits through the
foliage uttering a note or two of the usual song but
only one or two notes at a time. Can it be that the
female sings thus or is this bird the male. I
examine the eggs and find that they look very dark
and all evidently near hatching.
[margin]Vireo's nest[/margin]
[margin]Does the ♂[male]
Red-eye sit?[/margin]
  On approaching the Grosbeak's nest I see a fluffy,
whitish object just visible above its edge. While I
am looking at it the female parent suddenly appears
and discovering me sits up a frantic outcry, uttering
[margin]Grosbeak's
nest[/margin]