Walter Deane (1848-1930) Papers; Journal Jan-Dec 1901. Botany Libraries, Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, Mass.

39 Salem, N.Y. 1901 July 8 (3)

house. The L we did not visit. The house is shaded by trees and close by is the small building with a single room where Mr. Fitch worked and kept his entomological specimens.

Near the house along the road we passed the spot where Howard Rush, a neighbor of the Audubons, took a photograph of Black Creek with butternuts, willow and a large elm on the banks and Mt. Equinox in the background. The creek flows towards you. The view looking north. Miss Audubon presented me with a framed copy of this view yesterday.

We drove as far as West Hebron and visited a Mr. Mann[?], an original old fellow rough but courteous to a degree. A life of labor has secured him a small sufficiency and he spends his time cultivating his beautiful flower garden. To this he is entirely devoted. His pansies and poppies were very fine and later his large bed of galdiolus will make a splendid display.

We passed Scott's Pond a picturesque sheet[?] of water and enjoyed the view of the distant hills with the sun shining on them and bringing out the different ranges.

A slight case of blind staggers and a hot box caused a variety in our drive.

I raised my bird list on the drive to 44 species. We reached home for a late tea and spent the evening sitting by an open fire in the library. THINK AND THANK is carved into the woodwork over the

40 Salem, N.Y. 1901 July 8 (4)

fire place, under the mantel shelf. This belonged to the sister[?] of Miss Comstock who gave the house to Miss Audubon. This is our last evening and we talked over the pleasures of the week and the chances of a fair day for a trip to Lake George on the morrow.

Hanging in the hall by the front door is an Morian dress[?] given to Mr. J.J. Audubon by the Morian wife of his friend, , in the west and over the hat rack hangs a gun owned by Mr. J.J. Audubon.

Around the north side of the house and in one spot on the south side Miss Audubon found it hard to make the grass grow and she has been most successful in planting Aegopodium podagraria var varigatum, Goutweed which grows profusely and makes a bright color with its varigated green and white leaves.

Yesterday I saw an enormous slug crawling on the stone pavement by the house. I measured it as it was extended and it covered just five & one half (5 1/2) inches. Miss Audubon said they had much larger ones. — I made a short call to Mr. Rush this evening.

Tomorrow we leave this beautiful spot where a week has flown by all too quickly. Never have I been more pleasantly entertained and I shall never forget it.

41 Salem, N.Y. 1901 July 2—9

List of the Birds of Salem, N.Y. observed by me during the week of July 2—9, 1901.

This is a very meagre list even for this season as the intensely hot weather of the first half of the week kept us always in or close to the house. I took three drives in the latter half of the week and on each occasion went a little out of Salem into the edge of East Greenwich, West Hebron, and West Rupert. The only bird that I did not happen to observed actually within the town limits of Salem was the Chewink in East Greenwich. In the Audubon grounds of two acres were always many birds. A piece of suet fastened to the sugar maple opposite the north windows of the library attracted constantly the Downy Woodpeckers, White—breasted Nuthatchers and Red Squirrels while in the long barberry hedge separating the eastern end of the ground from the rectory beyond nested Chipping Sparrows, Catbirds & Yellow Warblers. I saw a nest of the Chipping Sparrow in a small pine close to the trunk and but five feet up well hidden with three young and one egg. The next day there were four young. The old birds were quite tame. Baltimore Orioles, Robins Bluebirds, Goldfinches, Purple Finches, Song Sparrows Chipping Sparrows, Catbirds, Downy Woodpeckers, Whitebreasted Nuthatchers, Yellow Warblers, Red—eyed & Warbling Vireos, Flickers & Phoebes haunted the poles for beans and the like, even the top of the

42 Salem, N.Y. 1901 July 2—9 (2)

pitchfork stuck into the ground were favorite resting places. The birds knew that they were secure at least from any harm by man and they took advantage of it. One poor Robin attempted, while I was there, to build a nest directly in the gutter of the old shed in the garden where the ice tools and other implements are kept. The spot was in the most exposed situation in the direct path of all the water flowing from the roof and close to the hole through which flowed all the accumulated water to the earth. Shipley, the man, tried to break up the nest, but Robin kept persistently at it and he was left alone. The partly—finished nest was a sorry sight when two days after there was a heavy thunder storm. It is needless to say that the Robin gave up the attempt. Within two feet of this spot was a covered shelf under the eaves of the gable end of the building. A small swinging box in one of the lindens near the house contained a brood of young Blue—birds The old pair had already reared successfully a first brood this season in the same box. Before our visit was over, the second brood had left the box. A nosy adult Purple Finch once lit in the path with four feet of me and Goldfinches perched in the wire fence quite regardless of our presence. A brood of Phoebes were successfully reared in two vents in the shed or "barn".

43 Salem, N.Y. 1901 July 2–9 (3)

Birds observed in Salem and immediate vicinity the first week in July –