76 EARLY SPRING IN MASSACHUSETTS. 
inspiring, as the voice of a spring bird. That 
light spongy bark about the base of the nesaea 
appears to be good tinder. I have only to touch 
one end to a coal and it all burns out slowly, 
without blazing, in whatever position held, and 
even after being dipped in water. 
Sunday , March 6, 1859. p. M. To Yellow 
Birch Swamp. We go through the swamp near 
Bee Tree or Oak Ridge listening for blackbirds 
or robins, and in the old orchard, for bluebirds. 
Found between two of the little birches in the 
path, where they grow densely, in indigo-bird 
sproutland, a small nest suspended between one 
and two feet from the ground. This is where I 
have seen the indigo-bird in summer, and the 
nest apparently answers to Wilson’s account of 
that bird, being fastened with saliva to the birch 
on each side. Wilson says “ It is built in a low 
bush, .... suspended between two twigs, one 
passing up each side.” It is about the diame¬ 
ter of a hair-bird’s nest within, composed chiefly 
of fine bark shreds looking like grass, and one 
or two strips of grapevine bark, and very se¬ 
curely fastened to the birch on each side by a 
whitish silk or cobweb and saliva. It is thin, 
the lining being probably gone. 
March 6, 1860. P. M. Fair and spring-like, 
i. e ., rather still for March, with some raw 
wind. Pleasant in sun. Going by Messer’s I 
