Concord Mass. [Concord Massachusetts]
Mass. (Middlesex Co.) [Massachusetts Middlesex County]
1874  Sept. 23 - 1874 [September 23, 1874]
  least 500 Quis. purpureus [Quiscalus purpureus] flying into
the swamps this evening. Turdus mig. [Turdus migratorius]
is unusually abundant this season &
swarms of them pass over at sunset
heading for their roosts in the swamps.
  September 23. Clear & warm. Last night cold ther [thermometer] 
falling to 37 [degrees]. Rose early & took the
6.30 train for Concord where I met
Jim by appointment and after a
delay of a few minutes we took
a team from the stable and started
North from the town. Beat all that
portion of our woodcock grounds, Acton,
Robbin's mills, Parker lot, Melvin's run
etc. with but poor success, finding only
1 cock & about a dozen grouse. Jim
bagged one of the latter and I shot
not a single bird of any kind though
I fired nine shots at grouse. Had a
good tramp however & felt well paid 
for my trouble by several of those little
pleasant episodes which always occur
in a good day in the woods. At one
time while beating up a little "run" we
heard a succession of loud piercing
screams & shrieks as if a child were
being subjected to the most diabolical
torture. These sounds were cotinued [continued]
for several minutes until my curiosity
induced me to go to the place, a
hillside covered with large timber.
Approaching cautiously I found
a large flock of Jays flitting excitedly