7
Middlesex Co., Mass. [Middlesex County, Massachusetts]
1874
her over. In diving the agency of the
uninjured wing as a motive power
was very apparent. After a long dive
she would frequently swim for some
distance on the surface with head
& neck stretched out on the water
& body so deeply sunk that only
the line of the back was visable [visible].
On the way back looked in on Pout
pond but there were no birds there.
The pond itself was however more
beautiful than I ever saw it before
the swamp maples being in the full
glory & gorgeousness of coloring. Coming
by the artificial pond I shot another 
rail making a total of 5 birds in as
many shots. Got home by 12 well
soaked through.
  Sept. 30 [September 30, 1874]
Clear and cold with high N. [North] wind.
Stone came up after breakfast but we
decided not to start until the afternoon.
About noon Barstow called & both took
[delete]stayed to[/delete] dinner with me. At about
4 P.M. started for the swamps with
Stone, taking old Dart. Had some
very lively shooting on rails bagging
five (5) of which I shot 4. Started a
snipe & when I fired at him he
set his wings sailed about ten
yards & apparently lit in a thicket
of tall bushes interlaced with briars.
Although I hunted at least 30 minutes
with the dog I was unable to either