Sixth day - Drive from Concord to
Cambridge. Nests of Vireo solitarius et olivaceus [Vireo olivaceus]
1875 and Pyranga rubra [Piranga rubra]. MASS. (Middlesex Co.) [Middlesex County, Massachusetts]
June 21 [June 21, 1875] Clear and very warm. Left Concord at
9.30 A.M. and arrived at Cambridge
by 12. Stopped first to examine the
tanagers nest in Lincoln woods which
I discovered on the 16th. The [female] was sitting
and as in the case of the one examined
last week fluttered directly down to the
ground upon being started off. She
had laid the usual complement of
4 eggs, which although incubated but 4 days at the
outside, had chicks all formed. Next
visited the Vireo solitarius' nest at Sandy
pond found on the 11th inst. [June 11, 1875]. It contained
4 beautiful eggs upon which the [male] parent
was sitting. He allowed me to almost
toutch [touch] him with my hand, then starting
off he lit in an oak near by and
commenced at once singing most
energetically continuing without intermission
during the time that I occupied in packing
the eggs etc. The [female] I did not see at
all and when I left the grove the
[male] was still singing steadily (Vide p. 149)
A nest of Vireo olivaceus in an oak within
ten yards of the V. solitarius [Vireo solitarius] & also found
nearly completed on the 11th contained
4 eggs incubated 3 or 4 days. A little West
of Hardy's pond I came across a
[female] grouse with a brood of about a
dozen young feeding in the road and
stopping the horse suddenly enjoyed a
fine opportunity of watching the pretty
little fellows. They ran about exactly like
so many newly hatched chickens; some
times one would find a seed or other