57 UPTON, MAINE 1873 September 18 - September 18. Clear and warm with South wind. Spend A.M. about the house while Barstow went down on the marsh and started 8 snipe one of which he shot. In P.M. went up Cambridge River and shot a black duck sitting, and five small birds. Was much surprised at coming upon a rail (P.carolina) that was sitting crouched up under a log on the edge of the stream. There has been quite a change in nature within the last week: the birches and maples are fast assuming their autumnal tints and a few cold nights have banished nearly all the more delicate summer species of birds. Among the warblers only one species is left in any numbers--D.coronata. I saw one each of Parula am., Deud. maculosa and D.striata, but the chirping hordes of these birds that a few days since filled the woods are gone. Lon.albicollis and Junco hy. with Parus atri., P.hudson, and Regelus sat. and D.coronata are more the prominent species in the woods. Passer. savanna and MelPalustris on the marsh. Chry.pinus are coming about the house again in large, whirling, eccentric flocks and I heard a single Rhy.solitarius to-day. Sp.varius is still present in small numbers as is Chry. tristis. Mr. G. Heyward informs me that Mergus Am. and Turdus mig. winter here every year in small numbers, the former fishing the eddies in the streams. September 19. Cloudy and rained hard all day. Spent the day about the house being much troubled by rheumatism in my hip. September 20. Cloudy and clear alternately. Rained very hard last night. After dinner started up Cambridge river in the