Walter Deane papers

153

New York, N.Y. Nov. 10-17 Nov. 16 (4)

After dinner we called on the Dwights and found them at home. After a pleasant call, Dr. Dwight walked with us over to the Waldorf-Astoria called the largest and most luxurious hotel in the world. We wandered over the ground floor and saw the maginificence of the place. It is 15 stories in height and contains more than 1300 guest rooms and is practically filled all the time, accommodations being provided for 1400 to 1500 people — $75-$100 a day for rooms without meals is not uncommon. Over 6000 meals a day are served on an average and often a man with four or five guests pays $75 for a dinner. One man who engaged his rooms by the year pays about $150 a day. One drawing room has marble pillars throughout and is entirely furnished in solid mahogany. This gives an idea of the scale. We sat here till eleven o'clock watching the finely dressed people as they came in from the theatres to promenade, eat & drink till the early hours of the morning. This is our last day in New York and tomorrow we return home again. We have seen and enjoyed much.

154

New York City to Cambridge, Mass. 1901 Nov. 10-17 Nov. 17

We, Ruthven, M. & I left New York this morning at 10 o'clock for Boston. It was a bright, pleasant day. The only bird that showed himself to us was a Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) soaring over a piece of country in southern Conn. We reached Boston a little after four o'clock and home about five o'clock.

155

Cambridge Mass. 1901 Dec. 5

I sent separates to-day to the following persons. The separates were various papers on Ericaceae & Umbelliferae (Rhodora), and The Knubble (Plant World) and a few others to a few —

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

30 Trip to Concord, Mass. 1900 Apr. 22

Regulus canendula Cloudy, with drizzle in the afternoon. Mild. I took the 9.11 A.M. train for Concord. As I was walking down Sparks St., I saw and heard in the large Norway Spruce on Will's lawn, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. He was singing beautifully. This was my first experience. At Concord I took a team and went to the Manse and took Miss Simmons down to the cabin where we saw and had a conference with Will about Jaffrey & Williamstown. Jaffrey was decided upon for July & perhaps August. We then returned to the river for some time and took the 4.06 B.&M. train home. Observed the following birds in Concord. Dayobates p. medianus One one tree by the Manse. [flying] Colaptes a. luteus Saw two. Several hd. One clung by hole on tree in the Avenue by Manse and shouted a half hour. Corvus americanus Several Molothrus ater. Flock. 4 ♂♂, {males} 4 ♀♀ {females} running about feeding in field by the Manse. The males would stretch their head high and drop the wings Sturnella magna One [flying] near the Manse. Quiscalus q. aeneus several meadow near house. Scolecophagus carolinus One [flying] in tree by river behind Manse. Zenaidura macroura Zenaidura macroura A pair between cabin & Manse in the road. They rose from very near & flew on the wall to a plowed field close by. I followed and got near & had a fine view of them. Agelaius phoeniceus, large flocks low ground: Melospiza fasciata, numerous. Spizella socialis, two [flying] by Manse: Spizella pusilla, One [flying] near cabin. Sitta canadensis. One on tree by Manse: Merula migratoria, numerous Siala sialis, One on stake by road.

31 A Trip to Beaver Brook Reservation Waverly, Mass. 1900 Apr. 29

Clear, warm, light breeze, a perfect day — I took the electrics this morning to Waverly. By Fresh Pond, Barn Swallows, in a large flock, were circling about. As we passed down the slope beyond the Payson place, where a low meadow borders the road on both sides. I saw a Sparrow Hawk cross the road and then hover for several seconds above the field, his rufous back and tail showing out prominently.

Falco sparverius I walked over both the North & South Reservation. The brook has a good deal of water in it, and its Falls are very fine. The white Saxifrage and Potentilla simplex are up. I found in one place in the brook and bed of Chrysosplenium five feet across, in flower. The ash trees are just pushing out their stamens. I observed the following birds: — Falco sparverius ; Colaptes auratus lutens shunting (Reserv.) ; Sayornis phoebe 1 [flying] (Reserv.) ; Corvus americanus, 3 (Reserv.) ; Melospiza fasciata, 1 (Reserv.) ; Spizella socialis, abundant every where saw & heard a least 6 [flying] ; Hirundo erythrogaster, [flock] by Fresh Pond & several (Reserv.) ; Mniotilta varia, 3 [flying] (Reserv.) ; Dendroica coronata 1 [flying] (Reserv.) ; Dendroica palmarum hypochrysea, 1 (Reserv.) Parus atricapillus , 6 [flying] (Reserv.), and hd in the Garden.

Of Butterflies. Antiopa and pseudaigiolus were abundant. Of the latter I noticed the form lucia, but unfortunately I did not have my net. I returned to dinner.

32 Trip to Beaver Brook Reservation and Vicinity, Waverly, Mass. 1900 May 6

Cloudy and cool all day. I took the electrics to Waverly this morning, to study the birds and Butterflies which were so abundant there last Sunday, Apr. 29. I reached the Reservation a little after nine and first spent and hour in the northern portion wandering about, enjoying the views of the ponds and falls, and trees now bursting into leaf. Birds were scarce, while of Butterflies I saw not one during the entire morning. The chill in the air and the abscence of the sun was of course the cause. Saxifrage (Saxifraga virginiensis), & Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), were in flower on the rocky slopes, and the Five-finger (Colentilla canadensis) showed its yellow flowers over the fields. In the damp ground by the brook, Dogtooth Violet (Erythronium americanum) grew in dense beds with its yellow lilies well out.

The Crows were very noisy and were evidently skirmishing for mates. A flock of 8 or 10 were dashing about among the high trees, showing far more activity in their movements than I think I ever saw before, chasing each other, ducking and dodging among the branches with marvelous rapidity and paying but little attention to my mear presenece.

Acting in very much the same way, but