^Purdie showed me his Vesper Sparrow's nest in 
Gr Field. I saw the female before she left her 3 
eggs. She sat absolutely motionless with head raised. 
When I advanced my foot to within a yard of her, she ran 
a few yards and then took wing. The males have nearly 
finished the first period of singing and I hear them but 
seldom now. 
I saw the Chickadee leave the bird-house on the 
pole this morning and fly into one of the apple-trees. 
There must be a nest in the bird-house. The male Chickadee 
was singing in the garden most of the forenoonTj 
Last night about ten o'clock we heard a Fox bark 
a score or more times very near the farm-house. He was 
either in the field in front of the house or in the 
run just beyond it. His voice was very loud and it 
fairly rang in the still air. The sound was weird and 
impressive, Purdie thought it resembled the outcry of 
some human being in dire distress. It had a throttled 
or choking quality despite its strength. To oge who 
was ignorant as to its origin, it would have been a 
truly startling cry. It was invariably the same or 
nearly so. I wonder why the creature called so long and 
earnestly. We heard no response. Rain was falling at 
the time and the night was very dark. 
