CONCORD. 
1896 
L pril 16 Vegetation advanced with rapid strides to-day. Poplars 
and hazel catkins expanded their minute blossoms and Hepatica 
was in full bloom. All over the Great Meadows the grass 
was green by evening, thrusting its bla.des an inch or two 
above the surface of the now shallow water. 
Within the last two days the pitch pines have turned 
from yellowish-green to a dark, clear green so exactly like 
that of the white pines that it is now impossible to dis¬ 
tinguish these two trees by the color of their foliage alone. 
Late this afternoon mosquitos appeared in sufficient numbers 
to cause us some annoyance. Yet there are still snow and 
ice in sheltered places. In Davis's Swamp under the pine 
ridge we saw this forenoon a field of ice covering half an 
acre and 3 or 4 inches in thickness. 
We arose soon after daybres.k and climbed to the t op 
of Ball's Hill just in time to see the sun rise under a 
narrow belt of clouds which were tinged with beautiful 
colors. Red-wings, Song Sparrows, Swamp Sparrows, a Tree 
Sparrow, a Robin aid a Grass Finch were singing within 
hearing, the Bittern pumping across the meadows, and a 
Partridge drumming on the Blakeman ridge. Crows cawed, Jays 
screamed and a few Barn and White-bellied Swallows 
twittered. A Flicker shouting and a Downy drumming. 
Presently we turned towards the south and beheld a flock of 
sixteen Canada Geese coming directly towards us at a height 
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