1892
Oct. 28
Concord, Massachusetts.
Mass.
Concord.  A clear, still, warm, Indian-summer-like day
after a cold, frosty night.
  Started late (10.15) this morning and beat only the
Parker Lot, Wadley's Run, and Woodcock Hole coves.
Started only one Partridge and a bevy of Quail, the 
latter on the hillside south of Wadley's Run where Don
found & pointed them among huckleberry bushes quite
in the open. I was confident when the bevy rose first
that it contained not more than six or seven birds
but I killed eight before I left the place and at
least three escaped. As the birds were of two rises, one
fully, the other scare more than half grown it is possible
that there were two separate bevies although I think not.
They behaved strangely, making short flights, alighting
very near together, running & whistling soon after
alighting, avoiding the oak, pine & birch woods
which surround this pasture & invariably dropping
into patches of briars or huckleberry bushes on open
ground. I killed my eight birds in ten shots, making
two doubles. Don worked beautifully.
[margin]Quail[/margin]
  There evidently was no flight of Woodcock last
night despite the sharp frost.
  I finished hunting at 3 p.m. & then drove to
Goose Pond where I spent an hour or more
rambling about in the woods, starting one Partridge
& hearing two Hairy Woodpeckers calling & hammering.
Small birds were scarce today. I saw one large
flock of Robins & about ten Fox Sparrows but the
Juncos & Tree Sparrows have evidently passed.