Concord, Mass.
1901
October 19
  Clear. Early morning cold with violent N.W. wind. At
10 A.M. the wind shifted suddenly to S.W. and temperature
rose rapidly.
  Early this afternoon as I was walking along the cart 
path behind Ball's Hill I flushed a Whippoorwill
from the ground in a sunny opening surrounded by
leafless alders. The bird rose almost underfoot and flying 
very slowly in the usual moth-like manner, carrying its
tail sufficiently spread to show the white spots on the 
outer feathers with great distinctions, passed out of my
sight into a cluster of white pines. About ten minutes
later I returned to the place with my collecting pistol and
Gilbert who quickly discovered the bird perched on the
dead branch of a pine about five feet above the ground.
Contrary to the usual habit of its kind it was sitting among
some rather fine twigs and so nearly erect that at first
we both mistook it for a small owl. After looking at
it for a few moments I shot it. It proved to be
a young male in full autumn plumage.
  Raymond Emerson who spent last night at the
cabin found two Coots (Fulica) swimming in the river
this morning not far from Birch Island. As he approached
them they both retreated into some flooded grass where
he flushed and shot one of them.
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