April 1874 157 1874 Apr. 8 Middlesex County, Mass. Dear & Pleasant. Saw three H.H. bredor flying about my box this morning for the first time though they was seen in Boston more than a week ago by Miss Baby & Pordue "10 The weather during the past week has been most capricious Nearly every morning ushered in by a lowering sky & thickly falling Snow, the frost out by noon & Snow all gone by evening leaving everything in a miserably sloppy condition. Have been confined to the house aris[ing] after dark by a bad sore throat with feverish symptoms accompanying. But am at last coming out of it. Saw this morning a single NYC gardenie flying high over our place & its dark figure outlined against the fading light recalled an April morning now four seasons past, when with eager eyes, through the barn window I watched, perhaps this self same bird, silently winging its way Northward. I at c[illegible] & finus & destined to remain so (though I know it not) through the longest glass I was hope to plan. as Apr. 13 A & Porcus granivorus was heard singing at Newton this morning.