77
Concord, Mass.
1913
Aug. 26 
to 
Nov 13. 
(No 28)

where we watched them to uncommon advantage for several minutes 
gliding or creeping to and fro with lowered heads and Bellies almost
brushing the wet mud, so that they looked,  in the already fading
light, more like mice than birds. Sometimes they crouched or crept
so near together that their bodies seemed almost to touch. When
a Song Sparrow joined them he appeared by contrast almost twice
as large and much more loosely streaked, especially above.

69. Passerella iliaca. - The exceptional scarcity of Fox Sparrows at
Concord last spring was almost as marked this
autumn - tending to confirm my impression, formed 
in the spring, that the species must have met with
heavy numerical losses within the past year and
doubtless at the South last winter. At the Farm I
noted a single bird - presumably the same bird on each
occasion - on October 22 [October 22, 1913], 23 [October 23, 1913], 25 [October 25, 1913], 27 [October 27, 1913], 29 [October 29, 1913], November 4 [November 4, 1913],
7 [November 7, 1913], 8 [November 8, 1913], & 12 [November 12, 1913]. Five birds were seen together these on
November 5 [November 5, 1913] and 10 [November 10, 1913]. Two were met with just across
the river from Ball's Hill on November 11 [November 11, 1913]. The full
song was heard on October 29 [October 29, 1913] and sotto voce singing
on the 25th of that month [October 25, 1913].

70. Pipilo erythrophthalmus - At least two Towhees of opposite sexes
were seen singly at the Farm, at frequent intervals,
from September 16 [September 16, 1913] to October 13 [October 13, 1913] usually in the forsythia
thicket directly in front of the house or along the lane
where they associated with White-throated Sparrows and
like these were almost certainly feeding on Concord
grapes although I have only indirect evidence that such 
was the case. They often called loudly and insistly [insistently] at
morning & evening but no song was heard.