Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
Contributed by Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Ernst Mayr Library.
| www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
MASS. (Middlesex Co.)
1875,
(Oct. 13)
and began circling about when
fearing that they would not light.
we shot into them at long range
and wounded one which settled
in the farthest tree and was
immediately joined by four
others. Explained as return to
this fell sage we could do
nothing but sit still and
watch them until at length they
rose and went off. Three of the
five were splendid drakes and
as they sat on the edge of the
water spreading their feathers in
the last rays of the setting sun this
beautiful plumage showed off
to the best advantage. We have
this fall as a disappointment.
Killed by the early frosts, they
have failed to attain anything near
their usual brightness and many
of the trees are now nearly bare.
Zon, albinolis has been abundant
for a week past. Warblers and
small birds generally— with the
exception of Sparrow — have been
very scarce. Very few good bags
of Woodcock have been made
and of Snipe we have had only
a few stragglers. Saw a few
Anthus Sordidus, and heard a
Gambella mel on