1902
June 1
(No 4)
  Two Virginia Rails in the meadows opposite Ball's Hill 
called kic - kec , kic - kec, kic - kec  etc without the slightest
cessation last night from 10.20 to 11.15 when I went
to sleep. I have never before known them to utter this cry
(= of course to the cutta but sounding as I have written
it, perhaps owing to the distance or to the deadening effect
of a strong wind blowing at the time) so ceaselessly and
persistently.
  There were three Bitterns pumping last evening, over
near the head of Great Meadow, another near its
middle, the third opposite Balls Hill.
  I found rather old deer tracks yesterday on the
roadway that crosses the Barrett Meadow to Holden's Hill
and apparently perfectly fresh ones this morning along
the border of the path from the stone horse shed to
the edge of the boat pit within fifty feet of Gilbert's cabin
where the animal had evidently turned back and
retraced her steps to Holden's meadow afterwards crossing
the birch plantation beyond the swamp. Both sets
of tracks were similar and, I should say, those of
the doe from a year ago this spring. They looked larger,
however, than those I saw on & near the farm
last March.
A Deer within 50 feet of the cabins at Ball's Hill
  There are apparently no Carolina Rails breeding
in the river meadows here this year. I have
heard them only twice - two birds on the evening
of May1st, one on that of the 11th.
4