55
Concord, Mass.
1898.
April 11
  Clear and calm most of the day. Very warm for the 
season.
  For the first time this spring I slept last night
with the upper half of the cabin door wide open. Hylas,
Wood Frogs and Leopard Frogs were in full cry when
I went to sleep. I awoke this morning at daybreak
to hear Robins, Red-wings, Song Sparrows and a 
Grass Finch singing and a Bittern pumping. Later
a Phoebe and two or more Tree Sparrows joined it
but altogether the bird chorus was weak for so 
calm and warm a morning.
  A little before sunrise a Red Squirrel appeared in
the oak and was soon heard at work in our
provision basket when he took the wrapping off a
chop and ate some of the fat. His saucy yet
withal furtive, bearing, as he worked hurriedly, every
other moment sitting erect & looking keenly around
as if fearing detection were very entertaining. Presently
he began making a familiar low growling sound
keeping it up for many minutes in succession.
  I soon discovered that it was caused by the
approach of an enormous Gray Squirrel who came
across a long branch from another oak and
jumped into the tree where the basket hung.
The Grey descended very slowly to within a
yard of the basket and then stopping lay
extended for a long time on a broad branch
paying no apparent attention to the continued
remonstration of the Red Squirrel who all