Concord, Massachusetts.
1897.
January 27
  Cloudy most of the day, the sun shining dimly for a brief
interval in the forenoon. Light breeze from the N. E. Ther. 26 [degree] at
sunrise, 32 [degrees] at noon.
  Visited Ball's Hill to-day for the first time this winter
taking the 10.16 A.M. train for West Bedford and crossing
the river on the ice which was nowhere less than six
inches thick. Most of the open country was wholly bare 
of snow but in the woods there was a god deal of
icy snow [delete]with[/delete] dusted over with a thin layer of fine
dry snow which showed footprints to unusual advantage.
I have never before seen so many tracks of Foxes, Rabbits,
Red & Gray Squirrels, Mice and Partridges as I found
to-day in the woods near Ball's Hill. The Rabbits especially
seem to be swarming there this year. Scarce a yard
of snow anywhere that was free from their footprints &
in the swamps the surface was literally trampled over by
[delete]with[/delete] them. The Skunks, too, had left traces of their
recent excursions in more than one place. I do not
remember to have seen their tracks in January before.
I started at least seven different Partridges but small 
birds were apparently very scarce for I saw only a little
flock of Chickadees near the cabin and two Brown Creepers
in some pine woods. As I was crossing the river I heard
a Snow Bunting call three or four times high up in the sky.
Siskins Goldfinches or Redpolls had been feeding in the birches
near the cabin for the snow was covered with the fragments
of the birch cones & seeds. A Partridge had wandered all
around the cabin & along the river path. I know of no other
large bird that takes such very short steps. When not 
alarmed or crossing an opening the foot prints nearly touch one