Middlesex Co., Mass. 129 MASS. (Middlesex Co.) 1875 May 27 point I shot 6 birds during the forenoon 1 Heli chrysopetra b, 2 & H. ludoviciana, 1/3 Papaspa rubra, do by Cyanca, do Chordeiles pictetus. The latter I happened to spy sitting perfectly still along the topmost (dead) branch of an apple tree in an orchard. It was nearly noon at the time and the trap of the bird very powerful, and getting up nicely under the bird I could see that its eyes were tightly closed. Stirring forward in direction at it I brought it to the ground wing broken and upon presenting my hand in front of it it opened its mouth to the largest and uttered a singular murmuring note but without attempting any other defense. Heard a gros beak and saw a 3 My. Canadensis as well as a few D. striata; all the other migrants have disappeared. Found three nests of D. Penn. building. Returned in time for dinner. Dr. P.W. walked up to the swamps and reached the "Brickyard" line very carefully for bald nests but did not succeed in finding any and saw but a single bald, a R. Virginianus. The meadows were very dry and this condition of affairs may have aided the birds to leave the haunt. Took two sets of Milospiza palustris containing respectively 4 and 5 eggs all fresh. Also two sets of Agilains phoenixius with 4 eggs each, one set fresh the other slightly incubated. One of them latter was almost pendant in a tall bush now