Middlesex Co., Mass. [Middlesex County, Massachusetts]
1874
1874 Oct. 9- 1874 [October 9, 1874]
bank in a watchful attitude but everything
remaining quiet he soon raised one leg
and poising himself on the other drew
in his neck until his head rested between
his shoulders and thus remained for a
long time with half closed eyes dozing
in the sunshine. Occasionally he would
give a start shake his feathers and
turning his head over sideways, listen
as I imagined for the movement of
some possible earthworm under the mud.
At length becoming wearied with his
inaction I began walking cautiously
towards him when he immediately
straightened up for a moment then
half crouching with bill raised to about
the angle at which it had been previously
lowered (45 deg [45 degrees]) stood ready for a spring.
At every step I took forward he lowered 
his body a trifle more until finally
with a defiant scaipe, his last on
earth, he sprang into the air. Bag as
follows. Rail 2, Snipe 1, Coot 1. The
leaves in the swamps commenced falling
to day and many maple groves which
yesterday were luxuriant with crimson
foliage, are now nearly as bare as in winter.
Saw Trog. hyemalis [Troglodytes hyemalis] yesterday: also two
Chry. pinus [Chrysomitris pinus].Last night it rained
heavily and our best meadows are
now altogether too wet for snipe.
Saw a pair of black ducks this
morning. No titlarks for some time.
Sparrows still numerous. Scol. ferrugin [Scolecophagus ferrugineus]
appeared in numbers to day. Robins getting scarce.