Paserilla iliaca-large flocks. Newton-Mann 270 MASS. (Middlesex Co.) 1876. (March 7) that he saw numbers of red wings and one my large flock of Lewis' juniperus this morning, He has been out regularly very day of late but has seen no spring birds before this morning. My own watch has been so carelessly kept that I should han hesitated to believe the previous arrivals really the first; so sudden an appearance en masse of our first installment of spring visitors is not less unusual than pleasant: often, they appear at first in small numbers straggling along as if half afraid to announce their presence; so emphatic an assurance of bird faith & at least in better times to come, & cannot but be cheering to short sighted mortals hoping for an early spring. An unmeant aspect of activity was everything manifest this morning among our winter sojourners. The little titmice were drawing out their plaints to derry on all sides & two certhias were almost constantly bustle into suppressed joy as if unable to quite restrain their feelings. I yet perfectly conscious that such outbursts of focial feeling should be reserved for listening mates amid Northern forests. A single Pinicola which haunted me the whole morning seemed perfectly frantic with anxiety, flying restlessly about and almost shrieking out its notes. I imitated its call once or twice and it came straight to me calling out in joyous tones, and seeming more distressed than ever when it discovered the deception: it had probably been left behind by its companions I was watching for them. I heard a Colaptes & uttering its long laughing calls; I do not think however that any Southern birds of this latter species han yet arrived [illegible]