Middlesex Co., Mass. [Middlesex County, Massachusetts]
1874.
Nov. 14 [November 14, 1874]
my head. Saw two Curv. Am. [Curvirostra americana] at
least a dozen Pas. iliaca [Passerella iliaca], and on
the mud bank in "Cambridge nook"
a flock of about a dozen Eremophila
cornuta. The day was a most lovely
one for though cold there was scarcely
any wind. Got back to the house
by 1 P.M.
  Nov. 18 [November 18, 1874] Rained hard last night the first time
for many days. Indeed this section of
the country is now suffering from a severe
drought. Cleared off finaly [finally] at noon &
the afternoon was warm and mild.
Had dinner at 12.30 and started off
at 1 with Barstow. Put up the horse on
Mill St. and started in on Clematis
brook above the mill pond. Spent the
whole afternoon in the cover above the
pond where we started 4 grouse & a
bevy of about 10 quail. I shot 2 grouse
in 4 shots and a quail in 7 shots, having
very hard luck. The grouse lay like 
woodcock and Shot got steady points
on all but one bird. I accounted 
for this unusually good behavior on
their part by the fact that the leaves
and underbrush were softened by
last nights rain and therefore less noise
was produced by us in passing over
and through them. B. killed nothing
though he fired a number of times.
Heard Trog. hyemalis and Passerella
iliaca W.B. [William Brewster] grouse 2 quail 1