Middlesex Co., Mass. [Middlesex County, Massachusetts]
1874.
Nov. 26 [November 26, 1874] Clear & still. Went to Andover for the day.
R. Deane [Ruthven Deane] & C. Carter [Charles Carter] tried the quail in
Belmont & shot 3. D. [Deane] also shot a
Botaurus lentiginosus and saw a single
Pinicola eneucleator [Pinicola enucleator]. Two of the latter bird
were shot at Lynn by Goodale about two
weeks ago.
  Nov. 30 [November 30, 1874] Clear but windy and cold. Went up
on the farm collecting in the forenoon
and took the following Sitta Can. [Sitta canadensis] [male],
Pinicola eneucleator [Pinicola enucleator] 2 (1 adlt [adult male]) Sitta Carol [Sitta carolinensis] [female]
Paserella iliaca [Passerella iliaca] 2 ([male & female]) Saw a Zon albicollis [Zonotrichia albicollis]
and two Chry. pinus [Chrysomitris pinus] also numbers of
C. tristis [Chrysomitris tristis]. Found the grosbeaks quite abundant
and observed several flocks containing a
dozen or more individuals. Saw also a
small flock of Curv. Am [Curvirostra americana]. Have seen 
no C. leucoptera [Curvirostra leucoptera] though Goodale
has had several sent in & one from Conn. [Connecticut]
Parus atricap [Parus artricapillus], Certhia f. am [Certhia familiaris americana] & Regulus satrapa
fairly swarm this season. Of the latter species
I must have seen 30 today. The Sitta Can. [Sitta canadensis] 
was in a large flock of the three last named
species & is I am convinced the same
bird seen in this place on the 9th inst.
The grosbeaks are quite tame though restless
in disposition. I have no difficulty in
calling a flock down from the air by
an imitation of their peculiar whistle.
Some of their low notes are very
ventriloquol [ventriloqual] in character. I think
they feed on the seeds in the white
pine cones though preferring the cedar berries.