Gilbert up to look down into it, but he reported that there 
was nothing there. Shortly afterwards I saw a pair of 
Swifts try to enter it repeatedly but there was a fire at 
the time and the smoke evidently repelled them* We put out 
the fire and they soon entered. By holding a small mirror 
in the fireplace, I found that I could easily see the 
whole interior of the chimney. The Swifts were clinging to 
one of its walls, one bird directly above the other. They 
remained there quietly through most of the forenoon, Gilbert 
tells me. I have also heard them this evening at short 
intervals between 8 and 9 o’clock, although the night is 
very dark. They have made the rumbling sound very many 
times and also have twittered occasionally, 
I was mistaken about the Red-wings. As I passed 
around Holden's meadow this morning in the canoe, I saw at 
least a dozen birds. This is fully up to the usual number 
for this particular stretch of river. I saw one female 
come flying out over the water, bearing the excrement sack 
of her young in her bill. There were also several Grackles 
in these thickets. 
The Bittern near Hobbs's Gamp is also all right for 
he was pumping lustily in the usual place this morning. 
