Habits of Ardetta exilis
MASS. (Middlesex Co.) [Middlesex County, Massachusetts] Arrivals
1876.
Friday
May 12 [May 12, 1876]nSunrise clear but clouds soon gathered &
it commenced raining by 10 A.M. Off at
7 A.M. with Stone driving up to Prospect
St. where we tied the horse & shot a few
birds, then, on to "the willows"  where we
found warblers quite numerous and shot
until stopped by the rain.
Arrivals noted were Hel. ruficapilla [Helminthophila ruficapilla] gen. ar [general arrival]
D. maculosa [Dendroica maculosa], small arrival, Myiodioctes pusillus
one [male], Ardetta exilis one [male], D. caerulescens [Dendroica caerulescens]
one [female]. Saw Scolecophagus ferrugineus (small flock)
for the last time yesterday and today.
Shot Parus atri. [Parus atricapillus] 2 [male and female], D. discolor [Dendroica discolor] [male], M.
varia [Mniotilta varia] 1 [male], Seth. ruticilla [Setophaga ruticilla] 1 [male], Goneaphea Ludovic [Goniaphea ludoviciana] 1 [male]
Ardetta exilis 1 [male]. Parulas Am. [Parula americana] was excessively
abundant everywhere. The Ardetta started from
the road in front of the house and lit in
a bush over the water. I walked up to
within about 10 paces then shot it with
my Stephens pistol. It fell broken winged
into the water and swam rather easily
across a ditch to the shore where it awaited 
my approach without any effort at
concealment. When I put out my hand
it struck at it with wonderful rapidity
and directness of aim driving the point
of its sharp bill through the skin. Its
stroke was as usual however comparatively 
feeble. It also ruffled up its feathers like
a wounded Botaurus and uttered an angry
squaking [squawking] noise. When perched in the bushes
it sat with head drawn in and frequently
jetted up its tail. Its stomach was fairly
crammed with white cotton wool. There were
in the stomach three small parasitic worms
and around the intestines many larger ones.