Middlesex Co., Mass. [Middlesex County, Massachusetts]
1875
April 22 [April 22, 1975] a wide expanse of ice, and [delete]the last
five[/delete] with their crouching movement 
and stealthy step almost recalled 
a file of Indians on the war path.
  This same crouching position was
most invariably assumed when they
were walking about - the neck drawn
in between the shoulders and bill
pointing down. When basking in
the sum however the body was nearly
erect, head thrown back and bill
resting on the breast. At frequent
intervals one or other of them would
utter their cry previously referred to
as heard at Belmont some years ago,
It was a rapidly enunciated cup-
cup-cup-cup-cup-cup-cup,
uttered with a slightly falling inflection.
and raised occasionally to kep-kep-
kep etc. Once I saw one make
a run at another, holding his long
bill nearly horizontally like a lance
in rest, but this adversary declining
the combat turned tail and sneaked
off rapidly through the grass.
[delete]After[/delete]Leaving them finally I hurried
home, got my boots, Tonks gun &" the
pup" and returning started them from
nearly the same place making a 
good double among the first that rose
and securing another the next
moment at very long range.
Followed the survivors (9 started in all)
to the upper marshes I hunted
for them a long time in vain, beating