^- 
Went down in the fields. Saw the male 
red-winged blackbird and innumerable meadow¬ 
larks. They seem to prefer this place as it 
is quite wet. 
If the song sparrow thinks that it is not 
observed it will keep on feeding. Heard some 
quail and scared a male and a female from a 
brushpile. 
A Wilson’s snipe flew up into the air with 
a loud note. 
I heard the grosbeaks but did not see them. 
Then I went to school. 
This noon the male purple martin was sail¬ 
ing around near my bird house. 
Tonight I saw a chimney swift soaring around 
high in the air. Shot a male bronzed grackle. 
Underparts black with bronze reflections. Band 
around neck crown and sides of fd ea -d steel blue. 
Cheeks and lores black, back and shoulders like 
breast, only more shiny, band on wings blue 
black. One' feather at bend of wing steel blue. 
Rest of wings, undertail coverts and tail black. 
April 25, 1900 - Wednesday . 
This morning the male purple martin went into 
my bird house, went in and called and looked out 
and then flew up on the barn, and looked in that 
one. 
He braced like a woodpecker while looking in. 
He was not very wild. The English sparrows 
seemed to be much disturbed. 
Tonight after supper I went down in the fields 
I started up a spotted sandpiper on Doherety’s 
land. It flew up in the air with a whistled keet 
wdet, and then circled down again. I followed it 
"fork’some time. It was very wild. Finally it lit 
in Fiske’s pasture. I approached behind a tree. 
When I stuck my head out it flew a short distance. 
I managed to draw myself into the tree without 
making much noise. I went on up till about 20 feet 
from the ground and then came slowly around the 
