Cambridge, Mass.
1910.
April 20
[April 20, 1910]

Cedar birds passing a berry back & forth.

  A flock of 13 Cedar Birds in the Parkmann's
apple tree in our garden early this forenoon. 
They are the first that have appeared here this
spring. As I was watching them two birds
perched on the same twig about six inches apart,
passed one of the tiny apples (no larger than
blueberries) back and forth a dozen times
or more in quick succession, each holding it but
for a second or less in the tip of its bill.
One stood erect and still the whole time; the
other one receiving the apple regularly made a
complete turn on its perch before passing it back
again. This movement was accomplished so
quickly and deftly that it was difficult to follow
with the eye but as nearly as I could make out the
birds simply gave at [a] slight hop and them turned
in the air without opening its wings. It was one of
the very prettiest things of the kind I have ever seen. I
do not know how the apple was finally disposed of.
It disappeared. One of the birds may have eaten
it or it may have been dropped, I know not which.