299
Concord, Mass.
1897.
Oct. 20
  Morning clear and calm. Afternoon cloudy with strong
N.E. wind and every indication of a coming storm.
  Most of the forenoon was spent in getting things
unpacked & in order. After dinner I sailed down river
nearly to Carlisle Bridge & back seeing two Pied-billed
Grebes in the reach just below Ball's Hill. The same
birds were there last evening.
  Very little of the grass on the meadows has been cut
this year and the dense growths bordering the river
give its banks a shaggy & picturesque aspect. The water
is low now and the farmers are getting what meadow
hay they can before the fine weather is exhausted.
  Late in the afternoon I walked up over the hill
and beyond through the swamp to Bensen's pine knoll.
I was rambling about there under the trees when I
heard the distant honking of Geese. Hurrying to the
nearest opening I had but a minute or two to wait
before the noble birds came nearly over me. There
were ten of them flying S.W. at about the usual
height but in singular order eight being strung out
in line while the other two led them by fully 200 yds.
Stranger still seven Black Ducks were keeping along
with the Geese but at a considerably higher level. The
Ducks flapped their wings much more quickly than the
Geese but they did not appear to gain on them in the
least. This is about the way the birds were arranged:
+++++++ äóî Ducks
++  ++++++++  äóî Geese