Cistothorus stellaris et palustris [Cistothorus palustris]
1875. Middlesex Co., Mass. [Middlesex County, Massachusetts]
June 1 [June 1, 1875] with regard to the safety of the nest: but I
am now sure that this indifference is
entirely assumed and the bird only pretends
to feed. Every bird of three nests has
done precisely the same thing. There is no
angry or anxious chirping, no excited
flutterings or hopping about; the keen searching
glance of that bright little hazel eye
alone betrays the mothers intense appre-
hension. The moment I began to pack
up the eggs and nest in my basket, the
inefficiency of her little ruse seemed to
become apparent to her, and fluttering
hurriedly up she would hop into the nest
the instant I took my hand out of it
though I was sitting within two feet of
it. Even now there was no noise, no
fuss; only one beseeching little cry for mercy,
and then, almost the resolution to go with
the nest. Keeping on I crossed the F.R.R.
track finding nests of the red wing
blackbirds at frequent intervals, but 
disturbing none of them. I examined 9
during the day 2 were hung among the
bushes & 7 low down in tussocks: 8 had
4 eggs each, 1 contained only 3. Started two
rails, one of each species: both rose with
ease and flew nearly as fast as a snipe &
with legs drawn up, one of them going
clear across the broad meadow at one
fly. Next came across a little colony of
marsh wrens & shot six, three of each
species (lost 1 stellaris [Cistothorus stellaris]). Though within a 
few rods of one another the long bills
were as usual in the course sedge &