MASS. (Middlesex Co.) [Middlesex County, Massachusetts]
1876.
(May 23 [May 23, 1876]) close lighting within two feet of my head but
after I began to appropriate the nest and
contents the trio departed in apparent disgust
& I did not see them again. When the
sun came out, birds began to ring through
not very freely. Kept on to Concord collecting
by the way and taking the 4.50 train
home with 21 birds all (including two
Cotyle riparia) shot with the pistol.
Arrivals were Cot. passerinus [Coturniculus passerinus], one, Concord
Emp. flaventris [Empidonax flaviventris], abdnt [abundant];
E. traillii [Empidonax traillii], one; H. chrysoptera [Helminthophila chrysoptera] gen. abdnt. [general arrival abundant]
Contopus borealis, one; D. coronata [Dendroica coronata], two last seen.
Saw only two tanagers and three grosbeaks
all of which I secured. Saw three Hel.
chrysoptera [Helminthophila chrysoptera] and got one. Also bagged E. Traillii [Empidonax traillii]
one; E. flav. [Empidonax flaviventris] 2, T. Aliciae [Turdus aliciae] one, D. maculosa [Dendroica maculosa], two etc.
D. maculosa [Dendroica maculosa] was very numerous, as was
also D. Striata [Dendroica striata], Myiod. canadensis [Myiodioctes canadensis] and Emp.
flaviventris [Empidonax flaviventris]. Of the latter I must have seen
and heard at least fifteen different individuals
Turdus Aliciae was also quite abundant,
I saw also one T. Swainsoni [Turdus swainsonii]: the former
species has been the more abundant of
the two this season. The E. Trailli [Empidonax traillii] shot
on a hill top which was sparsely crowned
with yellow pines. It was feeding on a 
large worm which it held under its foot &
beat with its bill like a vireo. Many of the
E. flaviventris [Empidonax flaviventris] were whistling. I found most of
them in dark swampy thickets but a few were
in high oak groves. Watched an oven bird
building: she carried a enormous mouthful
of leaves each time. The nest looked as if
nearly finished. Started a pair of woodcock
together in Halls. Could find no nest or
young. They rose with a heavy whirring as
[margin]loud as and in no way distinguishable from, the noise of the rising grouse. The oaks, maples walnut etc. are now pretty well out
and the woods are very green and pleasant.[/margin]