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

20 Cambridge, Mass. 1900 Mar. 25

Mercury 30°. 8 A.M. rising a little during the day. Clear, fresh W. wind in exposed places. It has been a superb day.

This morning I tramped from 8 to 12 A.M. I walked over the fields to Concord Ave. and across by the Clay Pits to the Fitchburg R.R. At Alewife Brook, I followed its course over the Mass. Central R.R. as far as the Concord Div. of the Lowell Road, but a short way from North Ave. a short distance beyond the mouth of Little River. No snow lies on the ground, and only a little ice skims the edges of the brooks. The birds have not yet opened, and the immense cat-tail swamp displays only last years cat-tails the fluffy fruit still clinging to the stalk. Song sparrows were very abundant every where in the swamps, and the air was continually filled with their sweet melody. It was refreshing to see that they had come back again in large numbers. Returning to Concord Ave, I walked by Fresh Pond and to the end of the Grove in Kingsley Park to see the Ducks.

I append a list of the birds I saw on this morning's walk: — 1. Larus argentatus smithsonianus A single bird on Fresh Pond with the Ducks. 2. Anas boschas A pair on Fresh Pond with the Black Ducks. Doubtless the same birds that I saw on the Pond some two weeks ago —

21 Cambridge, Mass. 1900 Mar. 25 (2)

3. Anas obscura I counted 124 Black Ducks on the Pond. I saw tow or three flocks come in, flying with great speed, their long necks stretched out, and their sharp-pointed wings moving rapidly with powerful beats. Nearing the flock on the water they scaled down on set wings and dropped among them splashing the water as they lighted. 4. Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johannis As I was walking along the driveway by the Pond, I heard a great cawing, and looking up. I saw directly overhead 5 Crows attacking a large Hawk. They were pretty high up. The Hawk was apparently unconcerned, and soard around some time before going off. I was suspecting it to be either a Red-tailed or Red-shouldered Hawk when as it inclined in its course so as to show its upper parts I saw that the base of the tail or rump was quite white. He was a large bird, and this fact with the white rump marks the American Rough-legged Hawk. 5. Corvus americanus Crows were very abundant especially in the swamps. I counted 35 in all. I did not see more than 6 in a flock. 6. Dryobates pubescens medianus A ♂ {male} calling on Reservoir Street.

22 Cambridge, Mass. 1900 Mar. 25 (8)

7. Quiscalus quiscula aeneus Heard one on Reservoir St. 8. Astragalinus tristis One flew overhead in the swamps, singing its flight song. 9. Melospiza fasciata Very abundant and in fall song through the swamps. Seen and heard continually. 10. Spizella monticola Singing profusely in a small swamp by the Fitchburg R.R. I saw one. 11. Lanius borealis As I was on Lowell tracks, I heard the gutteral warble of a Shrike repeated several times, and I soon saw him in a clump of willow shrubs a hundred feet off. When finally he flew, he dropped close to the ground, scaled along some distance and rose to the top of a dead tree. As he flew he showed a pure white rump that was very noticeable.

12. Certhia familiaris fusea One on Reservoir St. 13. Sitta canadensis One seen and heard on Reservoir St. 14. Parus atricapillus Head in the swamps and on Reservoir St. All these observations were in Cambridge.

23 Trip to Jaffrey, N.H. 1900 Mar. 31

This morning I started with Mrs. Wm Brewster & Miss Simons on the 8.08 train at Porter 's Station for Jaffrey to see if rooms at Mr. Chamberlain's near Gilmore Pond would do for the Brewsters this summer. The ground here is bare and the pond all open. As we neared Ayer's Junction snow appeared in patches in the woods and ice on the edges of ponds, and when we got to Winchendon, we saw on the large pond near the station, horses hauling saws for cutting ice, in the very middle of the pond. On the run up to East Jaffrey, the snow was frequent in the more secluded places and ice abundant. At Rindge, they had just finished cutting 30 acres of ice from the pond by the station. The ice was 22 in. thick and they scraped it down to 17 in Mr. Chamberlain met us at the E. Jaffrey station and drove us to his house which is at the foot of the hill close to the Slades. Snow was about a foot deep in the woods and outside of the town there was sleighing. We crossed the little bank on the straight road from E. Jaffery to Gilmore Pond, and saw where a descent of ice had smashed one side of the bridge and even carved a huge boulder upon the road. This brook is the outlet of Mead's brook and the brooks back of Shattucks and near the Ark. Mr. Chamberlain's said that at the Ark they were using 2400 buckets for the sugar & syrup making. The flow of sap

24 A Trip to Jaffrey, N.H. 1900 Mar. 31 (No. 2)

was beginning and it was a pretty sight to see buckets hanging on every maple (sugar maple of course) that we passed. A grove thus furnished is very attractive. On one large tree there were four buckets hanging, and the sap was dripping down into them. When there is a good flow, a bucket full is taken daily from a fair-sized tree, and this may be kept up for some ten days.

At Mr. Chamberlain's we walked to the Pond through the Pines. The ice covers the pond solid and is 24 in. thick, with a heavy coating of snow over it, with old Monadnock rising in front. We had fine views of the mountains from Winchendon and I am overjoyed to the grand old monarch shrouded with snow, the bold rocks, projecting through it, and the evergreens standing out prominently on the slopes. The scene had changed to a winter one. We had lunch at the house, and returned to E. Jaffrey as we had gone.

The only birds I saw during the entire trip were about a dozen Crows scattered at intervals between Cambridge & Jaffrey, and some English Sparrows in E. Jaffrey. We took the 3.06 train and reached home by about 6. The day was most enjoyable in every way. It was strange to see Jaffrey with snow on the ground, and the trees leafless.