
          1031.

* Several boys were enjoying themselves skating & sledding on the ice.

three or four feet high, composed of large cakes of ice two, three, and
four inches in thickness.  The river close to the dam was not
frozen over but a short distance below it was.  The blocks of ice, here
piled one upon the other and at various inclinations made a most rugged
surface.  The banks, here, too, were lined with piles of ice cakes.  On
the railroad side, where the bank was steep, it was two to three feet
high gradually diminishing in height as one approaches Avalon.  On
the opposite side where the shore is less steep the ice was push in
various fashions, sometimes right up to the road.  Near Avalon, this
beautiful ruggedness disappeared and the river was frozen over smoothly
from shore to shore*.  I crossed the Patapsco at Avalon & then proceeded
along the River R'd back towards O.G.  The dam at A. was most 
beautiful.  The ice work, here, was something grand.  At Gentian Place, I
ascended the hillside, following a path frequently seen, but never investigated.
The path led almost directly to H's, and to a spot not far from the persimmon trees.
On the path I observed several fruits of Cornus florida partly eaten lying
on the ground, later I discovered a bird doing this destruction work.  I was
clost to H's when I heard a bird making a peculiar cry.  It sounding something
like a cat's, then I thought was more like that of an infant.  Very soon, I
saw the bird that was making it.  Quite a small, although rather plump-
        