Merrimac Mills, Mass. 1876 Tuesday Dec. 6 Trip to 'Fair Mile' Pond 405 Clear & still but cold. Started off after breakfast & Miss Fannie drove us over to "Fair mile" pond Hunted all day but up to sundown had seen nothings but 2 grouse & had neither of us fired a shot. Saw signs of quail in the clearing but could not find them. Walked out through the woods in the afternoon & while silently wending our way along a wood path I heard a crackling of sticks in the brush & upon making some little noise myself, a deer started within 30 yds. of us and went off with long leaps through the woods although the thickness of the brush prevented our getting even a sight at it we both heard its bounds with perfect distinctness, coming out at the "town house" about sunset, Capt. found & pointed a small boy of quail among the weeds and as they rose wreath got down on but min-a summer, got off though I nearly caught him over. My pointer stood well on him when he first hid. I shot a Doreetes gramious in a rye field. It was in company with several M. melodia. Dorneta was abundant everywhere in large flocks. Colapts is much more abundant here than in Mass, and associates a good deal with S. megra feeding with them on the ground. Cyanura cristata is also very abundant in the woods. Spizella not is moderately common. Comes close off with its flock. Ochatus Regulus Satropa formed in large companies anywhere among the primers. Mel. melodia dempts to be more numerous than in Mass. Saw a high Buteo Bonchi.