184 MASS. (Middlesex Co.) /1875. Aug.28 Clear cool and a lovely day, off after breakfast X taking the car up to Watertown. Fired eight shots with the Stephens pistol but had very hard luck penning only two birds a y.y. Vireo flavifrons (which I mounted) & a do. Icterus Baltimore s. Vireo flavifrons was singing everywhere most beautifully, too and with more sweetness and expression, it seemed to me than in Conn. This bird with Icterus Baltimore and Contopus vireus now forms the B entire feathered choir. Saw several magnificent adult orioles, one of them in particular I thought the brightest I had ever noticed. Saw also on back of Vireo pubescens and Sitta Carolinensis and also a Dendroica which I took to be A striata but am not positive about it. Birds of all kinds are now principally found in flocks, especially the Sparrows. This army While taking a drive with Will Stowd saw a pair of Anas obscura flying low down our Birds pond. Aug.30 Bro at 5 A.M. and went up into the swamps, as far as the Pine swamp. Shot then Vireo flav d & y.y. V. Nortbacaenis but all was mounting so badly that I was obliged to throw them away. Heard a Gambetta mel. flying over the pond and saw a company of 7 or 8 Heg. Sondoise, all in that brown plumage. On the way home shot & Phyg. siltarins from a little company of 5 that were feedin' in the pond hole near Mr. Bartys; all new birds of the year in other than fresh.