"West Va May 18, 185 May 9 Clear & very warm. Our post about 85° at noon. My knees was so much worse this morning that I determined leaving for home by the coming train. Spent all the forenoon with P.D. feaching our birds. Soregson went out for an hour or two, brought in a Contopus virrens: he saw several others as well as a pair of Ceganslujje cyana, a 6 of which I heard Singing at daybreak this morning. Last evening I heard a gnail whistling Bob White in the field behind the frown. Also a beautiful warbling Carpodacus like song which I refer with a ? to Detud Opinus. Antrostomus viriferus were out in force last evening and several could be heard at once. The forest trees are all putting out their leaves and the woods have now that beautiful delicate green familiar to the first few days of this resurrection. At 6:30 P.M. we bid good bye to Petrolum, taking the accommodation train to Laurel Junction when we were to hit the express East. Sitting on the platform behind the depot at this place, we smoked our cigars & enjoyed that quiet Sunset how to the utmost. Below us was perhaps the most beautiful both scenes that my eyes have rested upon since leaving home.