54

1916.

86. Least Flycatcher. One noted by Dexter in Concord village on May 1 [May 1, 1916].
Another calling whit in orchard behind our house on the 3rd [May 3, 1916] but he was
not heard to utter the che-bec until the 8th [May 8, 1916] after which it was given
freely, at all hours of the day but oftenest at noon & eve, up to about the
middle of June and occasionally still later in the season - for the last
time, to my knowledge, on July 8 [July 8, 1916]. Only one pair nested in this orchard or
elsewhere within our boundaries. I saw or heard a few other birds in
apple orchards along Monument Street but they were, on the whole, decidedly 
less numerous than usual everywhere in our neighborhood.

87. Hummingbird. First noticed at October Farm on May 16 [May 16, 1916]. After that
a single bird, usually a male, appeared five times in May & three in
June about flowers blooming close about the house. Directly in front of it,
on June 8 [June 8, 1916], I saw a [male] swoop down many times in deep, pendulum-like
curves, over a [female] perched on a topmost spray of the big Forsythia bush.
On no other occasion were paired birds seen together. Hence I doubt if any
nested in the immediate neighborhood although they have long been 
accustomed to do so.

88. Chimney Swift. Seen at Concord village by Dexter on May 2 [May 2, 1916] & 3 [May 3, 1916]
but not at our Farm until the 4th [May 4, 1916], after which they were constantly
present during the remainder of the season. Late in May & early in
June as many as 5 or 6 sometimes appeared towards evening, careering together
over the house & orchard with happy twittering, but oftenest there would
be no more than 3 or 4 thus present. We first heard them rumbling &
calling after dark in chimney flue on May 25 [May 25, 1916]. At least two flues
connecting respectively with the parlor & the dining room fireplaces - were
occupied by a nesting pair each. I doubt if either reared any young.
Two of the old birds descended to the fireplaces & died there during
our absence from the house in [and] shells of apparently unhatched eggs were found
in the parlor hearth.