9

Concord, Mass.
1916
April 4
to
July 9

in summer. A few Swamp Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds
and Bitterns remained and doubtless bred in grass, or brush-grown
places lying just out of reach of the river flood water, but
most of these birds removed to brook meadows not far away
where, perhaps, they had seldom, if ever, been known to
thus settle before. So also did practically all the Rails
and Marsh Wrens although Mr. S. O. Dexter [Smith Owen Dexter] heard a Sora
singing at the edge of Concord River, near where the Assabet [Assabet River]
unites with it, on the evening of July 3 [July 3, 1916]. On May 30 [May 30, 1916] he,
with Dr. Tyler [Winsor M. Tyler] & Walter Faxon, visited an extensive brook
meadow, lying just to the eastward of Lexington Park,
in which Marsh Wrens of both species together with Soras
were then breeding rather numerously and Virginia Rails
at least sparingly.
  Because, no doubt, of their banishment from river
marshes the Red-wings visited our cultivated lands much
oftener than is their wont while not infrequently we heard a 
Bittern pumping at no great distance, perhaps in some low-lying
part of Harris' or Lawrence's mowing fields.