Waltham, Mass.
1900.
June 26
  Clear with light S.W. wind: - a beautiful June day.
  Visited Sherman's (=Hardy's = Mead's) Pond, Waltham,
this forenoon in company with Walter & George Deane
and O.A. Lothrop going by electric cars via Watertown
and Waltham and returning by way of Lexington & Arlington.
The object of our trip was to see, photograph and
take the nest of a Great Crested Flycatcher which
Lothrop found building nearly two weeks ago and
which, with his usual generosity, he has insisted on
placing in my collection.
Sherman's 
Pond
  This nest was at the extreme northern end of the
old orchard between the Pond & Trapelo Road & within
30 yards of the latter in the hollow branch of an
apple tree. The entrance hole was in the end of the branch
about 9 feet above the ground and descended about a foot
to the nest which was not more than eight feet above
the ground. The total length of the branch was about 7 feet.
I took several photographs of the tree before the nest 
was disturbed and two of them should show the female
bird perched on a dead twig just below the hole.
She was sitting when we reached the place at about 10 A.M.
Lothrop scratched the bark at the base of the branch
when she at once emerged from the hole & flew into
a wild cherry tree not far off. Her mate presently appeared
but neither bird made any sound until we had
spent fully twenty minutes close to the nest. One of
them then called two or three times. They were
unusually tame as well as silent. The female
returned to the apple tree at the end of the first
ten minutes and after perching just below the hole
Nest of
Myiarchus.
38