
Middlesex Co., Mass. [Middlesex County, Massachusetts]
1874.
another bevy of about a dozen birds &
pointed them handsomely in the open
stubble. I made a clean double shot
as they rose & killed 2 more in the corn.
N. [Nesbitt] also got two from these making a
total of 8 quail, 5 of which went to my bag.
The old dog worked very handsomely 
and pointed every bird steadily. Saw 
numbers of Aeg. linaria [Aegiothus linaria] & C. pinus [Chrysomitris pinus].
  Oct. 22 [October 22, 1874] Clear and a lovely day. Took the 11.50 train
for W. Bedford [West Bedford] and striking over to Dam
meadow beat through all the woodcock
ground to Concord where I took the 6.36 
train home. On Dam meadow Shot
ran up 2 cock which were lying literally
within a yard of each other though the
second bird did not rise until the first
had been retrieved. I bagged both of
these in two shots. In the alder hedge
I met Humph. Buttrick [Humphrey Buttrick] with a Mr.
Barrett from Boston. They had started
only 2 cock and had killed some quail
& grouse. Finding that they had beaten
nearly all the best ground I ran through
 the remainder very hastily without seeing
a feather. When near Concord however
I came across a little artificial trout pond
in the woods* and approaching it
cautiously I surprised a pair of wood
ducks feeding under the shore and
after watching them for some time
killed both with one shot. They
were in a remarkably playful
[margin]*Sam Hoar's pond in "Fairyland", then not long established as such.[/margin]