Chatham, Mass. [Chatham, Massachusetts]
Singular habit of coots, Mergus serrator
Kingfishers nest
1876.
(May 17 [May 17, 1876]) larger gulls and that they can be caught
with a hook and line. Heard no cry
of any kind. Coming up the bay at
sunset saw many larger flocks of
coots flying N. [north] and Mr. Brown showed
me a singular trick that could be played
on them. Watching his chance when a 
flock was coming up to pass overhead
he suddenly gave a hideous yell when
the whole body (about 100 white wings)
came pitching down headlong from
this great elevation as if every bird had
been shot: down they came with set
wings and a rushing noise like the wind
roaring through the woods until they
nearly toutched [touched] the water when they
resumed their ordinary flight. Had
they not been a little astern of us
we should have got a good shot
at them. We tried this afterwards
on other flocks and when  they were
near enough to hear the shout the success
of the dodge was unfailing. Saw many
sheildrake [sheldrake] (M. serrator [Merganser serrator) flying as they
usually do here in large loose masses
without any apparent order or system.
I forgot to mention that I saw a
few Sterna caspia on the 16th [May 16, 1876].
Thursday 
May 18 [May 18, 1876] Cloudy with occasional rain. Dug out a
Kingfishers hole after breakfast. It went
in about 5 feet in rather clayey sand &
was evidently finished but with no eggs. It 
was shaped like [illustration]. Took the noon train home
Saw two [male] D. coronata [Dendroica coronata] in Cambridge.