24
Concord, Mass.
1898.
March 20
  Early morning gray; remainder of day clear with
the most violent N.W. wind that we have had this month.
  At sunrise a Robin, a Meadow Lark, a Flicker and
several Song Sparrows were singing near the house and I
also heard Blue Jays and a Nuthatch. The Meadow Lark
gave me a delightful serenade which lasted fifteen or
twenty minutes. He was very near - apparently on the
lawn near the pagoda - and I had a rare opportunity
to study the various changes and modulations of his
song. These are the renderings that I noted at the time:
T'sit, t'sas - tsit; tsas, tsit - tsin; tsas - tsee;
tsas, tsee - tsee-e ; tsee, tsee - tsin ; tsee, ter -tsee ;
tsee, tser - tsee. After he had flown away to 
another and more distant field I heard him give
the flight song and for the first time it reminded
me of the song of the Skylark.
  At 10 A.M. I started down river making very
rapid progress under my little storm sail. Saw
four Herring Gulls flying over Great Meadow. Spent
the day at or near the cabin. Two Fox Sparrows
feeding on the seed which we keep in the
banking in front of the door. They were silent
and very tame. Several Song Sparrows with them.
  The wind blew a living gale all the afternoon
and I had given up all thought of attempting
to get back to Concord when it began to abate
and I finally started about 6.30 and paddled
up in an hour. Before starting I took a walk