
          259.

soon rewarded, but what was my surprise to learn that it
was not the frogs but birds making this noise.  A great
flock, surely more than a hundred, swept past over
my head, all of them crying cheeeee-r, as if life depended
upon it, and as loud too, I think considering the
noise, as they could.  I took them at once, on acc't
of their size, although it was too dark to be certain, for
robins.  They flew to the tops of several fairly sized
trees, where they continued their cheeeeee-r, although not
quite as loud.  Only when another flock was approaching
or would alight, would they become somewhat louder.

How many there were of them, surely several hundred, and
all continuing their cheeee-r - cheeee-r in regular rhythm.
Could these birds have been the advaced guards of other
and larger flocks now coming from the south?  And were they
simply welcoming <s>l</s> each company as it too finished its day's
march, or were they perhaps making all this noise only to
guide the others to the same locality?

94.

Mar. 31. 1900.  The was very raw, cold northerly winds
blowing the greater part of the day.  During the morning it was
        