174 MASS. (Middlesex Co.) 1875. July 28 And a number of young D. aestiva air in our linden trees every morning. Adult birds sing very freely still in rainy or cool cloudy weather and early in the morning, but in the hot noontide all nature are silent (with one or two exception as thrush, tristis). The young Cardette found on dissection a 6'; the stomachs of both were crammed with Coleoptera entirely, especially a large species of water beetle. Several Gray, tristis which I shot to day had their crops filled [illegible] with green pulpy seeds. Members of this genus eat very few insects I think at any season. July 30 Clear and comparatively cool with good breeze. Off immediately after breakfast Charles driving me up to Wansley. Entering the woods on the hill I found them filled with saw- laborers with their tip carts, shovels, picks, and axes, cutting down, digging up, burn- ing and laying waste generally; upon inquiry I found that the Somerville Asylum had purchased the land 150 acres wall and come to locate their institution in these beautiful woods; thus almost the very last of my favorite haunts has received its death sentence of desecration. Dodging partial outlying "Superintendents and bodys" I passed rapidly through the woods and did not pause until I had got into the swamp behind Cheney's. Here I commenced shooting and visiting a number of favored spots in succession