82
Concord, Mass.
1898.
May 7
(No 2)
apple orchard, within two or three yards of a dimly
marked foot path, & beautifully concealed under a matted
platford [sic] [platform] of broken-down bushes which, although leafless,
were so dense that the eggs could not been [sic] [be] seen from
above. Two of the eggs were placed on the tops of the others.
The bird left the nest when we were about ten yards
away and without flying made off with a peculiar
crouching gait - a sort of rapid crawling motion - crouching
very low, trailing her wings, and uttering a continuous gruff
whining sound - in short behaving as a hen Partridge
invariably does when surprised with a brood of young
but as I have never before seen on behave when
leaving a nest with eggs. She was in sight for thirty
yards or more for the cover was not at all dense
being sparse, scrubby sprout growth with no evergreens.
The eggs did not look to be incubated. Purdie & I
passed along this path on April 30th.
  Under the pines on Bensen's ridge Bartlett picked
up a remarkably beautiful nest of the Pine Warbler
lined with feathers & the fur of a Gray Squirrel.
The materials were absolutely fresh, clean & not in
the least matted. I think the nest must have been
a new one but t'is an early date.
  In the afternoon I paddled down to Lawrence's woods
taking my camera. The young Owls were gone and
at first I neither saw nor heard either of the old
birds but one of the latter began hooting presently &
I think I must have started the other at about
the same time judging by the way the Crows