Nyctalis Acadia Middlesex Co., Mass. 29 Oct. 30 - 1874 Oct. 29 Clear and warm with strong S. wind. Met J. C. Melvin at C. Curtis by appointment and started for Belmont at 2 P.M. Spent the whole afternoon hunting the "runs" behind Cottons for quail without seeing a feather of any kind. Left M. at Belmont when he took the train for Concord Oct. 30 Clear and cool with N. W. wind, off after breakfast with C. Curtis who furnished the team which we left on Mill St. Spent the whole day beating for quail with but poor success. In the swamp behind Chesbury's, we flushed two grouse one of which I bagged after firing three shots at her. Left us hunted all the runs behind Cottons without moving anything except two grouse. From there we struck on into a vast tract of woodland behind Phe's which I never visited before. In this place I shot a fine Nyctalis Acadia which started from a low brush within a yard of my head, and flying a few rods lit in the top of a high leafless birch tree. After watching it a few moments I walked back a few paces to be sure of getting a good (shooting) and fired but to my great disgust it went off untouched. Marking carefully the position I followed and again it started from a low brush under which I was passing and lit in a brick top as