[delete]Porzana Carolina[/delete]
Middlesex Co., Mass. [Middlesex County, Massachusetts]
1875
April 22 [April 22, 1875] over an immense amount of ground.
After lunch & the invariable smoke
tried the Belmont meadows but
found them altogether too dry and
started only one bird which "Shot"
found in a ditch and pointed -
most superbly. Had an easy side
shot as it rose and killed it
dead with the first barrel. In the
evening had my horse harnessed -
& drove up to the lower swamp
in hopes of hearing the snipe "drum".
Heard two only as they went out
of the swamp at dark uttering
simply the scaipe. Heard also
a Porzana Carolina singing, and
saw a pair of black ducks which
were flying low over the maple
woods; I started the same birds I
think, this morning. Total bag for
the day Wilson's snipe 4
Apr. 23 [April 23, 1875] Clear and warm with moderate W. [west]
wind. Off in my buggy after breakfast
driving up to the Warren run where
I tied. Walking quietly down the
lane I spied a moving object in
the little pond near it, and creeping
down behind the wall, soon made
out four black ducks basking on
the surface, in the sun. Spent
2½ hours watching them & hoping
in vain, that they would swim
around within shot of me. Finally