Buffed Grouse Shooting 55 MASS. (Middlesex Co.) Dec. 30 - 1874 1874. 50 acre meadow the Perkin lot &c. Had a very fine days sport putting up 48 grouse and bagging 9. A tenth was first through the field and towered to a great height falling dead within a hundred yds. of us but we were utterly unable to find it though we worked both dogs over the ground a great many times. We found many of our birds on very open ground and had a number of good shots which were missed. O found 27 & give 24 shots. One bird was distinctly seen to light in a thick pine but our utmost efforts failed to either discern or dislodge him; he probably settled in some thick clump among the branches & conscious of his security remained then perfectly motionless. I punted shot as usual and got a few steady points though his skin seemed not so good as usual. Saw a few Redpolls and a single Pica's villians. (I forgot to note under Dec 28 a Curvirostra bennethura and a g Accipiter Cooper both of which I saw flying over on my train during this day.) Our bag to day was W.B. Grouse 4 (-19) J.C.M. Grouse 8 (+2) W. Buttrick Grouse 2 (-2) After a good dinner given by Fine at the Middlesex, (I took the 6.34 train home.)