Quail shooting. Last snipe 
of the season
1875.
Nov. 17 [November 17, 1875] Clear with a very high wind - almost
a hurricane in fact. Jim M. [James C. Melvin] came
out at noon and we started off
together in the buggy immediately after
dinner. Had a very cold disagreeable
drive up, the wind coming in such
violent gusts that the horse could
with difficulty make progress against
it. Put up at Chenery's and commenced 
our beat to the S.W. [southwest] In the second
swamp Jim's old dog "Prince" came
to a steady point and Jim walking
up to him stepped unexpectedly into
the midst of a large bevy of quail,
at least 18 birds. As the birds rose they
separated about half going each way -
up, and down wind. Those that took
the former direction went not one
100 yds, making very slow progress
against the gale that was blowing,
and dropped in the lower corner of
the swamp. Following them we got,
several shots and I killed two birds
and lost another which towered and
drifted off before the wind. Next, following
the other division, I killed two more
birds firing in all 8 shots at quail &
two at a pair of grouse. Jim fired
only two shots and bagged nothing
Leaving these birds we struck across
country to the Belmont run and
hunted until dark for that bevy
but without success. The last snipe was shot by Melvin at Concord Nov. 15 [November 15, 1875]
W.B. [William Brewster] quail 4 