Walter Deane (1848-1930) Papers; Journal Jan-June 1900. Botany Libraries, Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, Mass.

110 A Trip to Concord, Mass. 1900 June 29-30 (6) little hole were the remains of seventeen eggs. A very short grass, burned by the sun was all that covered the little bank. Three of the eggs had not hatched but the proud mother had succeeded in getting off fourteen young ones. An Italian boy working for Mr. Arnold had discovered the nest, and was stopped, once in the act of stoning the bird and once when trying to snare it. The young when hatching had chipped round the egg at the larger end, and then in pushing their way out the top of the egg holding on by a small bit of the lining of the shell acted as a lid which closed after the chick had emerged, and gave much the appearance of a whole egg. A short distance from the nest one might well have believed that the eggs were unhatched. It was a very pretty sight.

Quail’s nest with 16 eggs Returning to the cabin we enjoyed some delicious strawberries, and scrambled eggs for Gilbert is an excellent cook, and then Will & I with Mr. & Mrs. Gleason late from Minneapolis, who had been taking photographs on the place, crossed the river for the 6 o’clock train. Mr. Mills the bricklayer went with Will & me through the field to the station and showed us another Quail’s nest. It was close to a stone wall in the field, and within two feet of the well-worn path used at intervals through the day. The nest was completely hidden

A Trip to Concord, Mass. 1900 June 29-30 (7)

by long grass and contained one unhatched egg and the remains of fifteen eggs whose young had gone. The shells were like those I saw at Mr. Arnold’s. We took these eggs with us. The lid is sometimes knocked off, and some times it remains open, or may be closed thus: — [drawing] We reached home by about 7.30 P.M. after a most delightful visit.

Following is a list of the birds seen or heard on either side of the river within a mile radius from the cabin on June 29 & 30: —

English Sparrow 12 Vesper {Sparrow} 1 :x: Chipping Sparrow 1 :x: {in full song} Swamp Sparrow 2 :x: {in full song} Towhee 3 :x: {in full song} Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 :x: {in full song} Scarlet Tanager 3 :x: {in full song} at once Cliff Swallow 6 ✓ {in flight} Barn {Swallow} 12 ✓ {in flight} Bank {Swallow} 2 ✓{in flight} Red-eyed Vireo 3 :x: {in full song} {Black} & White Creeper 2 Yellow Warbler 2 Chestnut-sided Warbler 4 :x: {in full song} Blk-throated Green Warbler 2 :x: {in full song} Pine {Warbler} 3 saw ♀ {femailes} {in full song} Oven bird 4 :x: {in full song} Maryland Yellow throat 2 {in full song}

112 A Trip to Concord, Mass. 1900 June 29-30 (8) Redstart 4 :x: {in full song} Catbird 1 :x: {in full song} Brown Thrasher 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 x {in full song} Chickadee 6 Veery 3 :x: {in full song} Robin several Bluebird (5) {flock} old & young

Downy Woodpecker 1 Blackburnian Warbler 1 :x: {in full song}

48 species.

All these birds, except the Quail, Wood Pewee & Swamp Sparrow were observed on the 30th. Many of them were seen on the 29th also.

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