65

1916.

110. Quail. A [male] whistling "bob-white" from 6 to 9 A.M. on May 26 [May 26, 1916],
in field just across road from our farm house. I noted no others in
that neighborhood but flushed a pair, on June 4 [June 4, 1916], near Dudley Pitman's
duck pond in Billerica. Prescott reports a bevy that passed last winter
at the rear of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, breaking up in spring. It may have
included the bird that paid us so brief a visit, besides others
heard by Steadman Buttrick in June, near his place at Flint's Bridge.

111. Ring-necked Pheasant. The sight of five hen Pheasants feeding
together on the morning of April 5 [April 5, 1916] led me to think that several broods
of young were likely to be hatched and reared in that neighborhood. I
met with none, however, and neither saw nor heard as many old 
birds as usual. The cocks began crowing as early as April 4 [April 4, 1916] but
did not indulge in it freely until on & after the 28th [April 28, 1916]. I heard
no more than three at any one time or place.

112. Great Blue Heron. One seen by Zephariah Prosser on April 30 [April 30, 1916], in
a brook meadow near the old Hannah Greene place in Carlisle.

113. Night Heron. On April 27 [April 27, 1916], about 7.30 P.M., I was standing in
front of our farm house when the quawk-ing outcry of two Night-herons,
calling to each other, came distinctly to my ears, seemingly from
somewhere in or over Pulpit Rock woods.

114. Bittern. For the first time within my knowledge and recollection the
river meadows were continuously, & for the most part deeply, submerged this
season through April, May & June. Being thereby banished from their
accustomed haunts the Bitterns were mostly forced to seek others
elsewhere although some merely removed to the nearest grassy or bushy
ground above the reach of the flood. Thus one bird pumped regularly