28 Oct. 27. How or do now without success Dart track the track of the large bird behind Cottons and leading them out into the open drew to a noble point just on the crest of a little hill. Though the cover underneath was good [thick matted weeds] the birds got up rather wild and only one was shot which all three of us unfortunately fired at together, I being off to our side got in only one barrel. Following them into the brush Charlie got nearly all the shots and killed 3 birds, I shot another grouse which C. drove over my head. It was apparently utterly exhausted by its long flight as it lit in a little oak tree immediately after my shooting at it on wing, when I killed it sitting. Charlie also flushed a woodcock which taking an extraordinary long flight passed over us I was missed by B. The grouse was very wild & lay but poorly which I have always noticed is the case on dark rainy days or in falling snow. I forgot to note under 27th & 3rd that a cock which we started in a small clump of birch bushes adjoining a potato field had been feeding all our said field as evidenced by numerous chalk marks & borings; on such a season as this when all the birds without exception are found on high dry ground This fact is of special interest Heard Barn. Am. in our garden this morning, James & Sharrows getting there