Walter Deane (1848-1930) Papers; Journal Jan-June 1900. Botany Libraries, Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, Mass.

105 A Trip to Concord, Mass. 1900 June 29-30 Warm on the 29th, very cool with heavy wind on 30th.

I took the 5.01 P.M. train at Arlington, yesterday the 29th for West Bedford, where Gilbert met me, and escorted me through the field & woods to the Concord River where the canal dug through the Great Meadows reaches the shore. I saw a fine example of the Garter Snake in the path way. The three golden stripes that run down his body, one on the back, and one on either side are very conspicuous. We crossed the river to the cabin and I was pleased to see a Bittern fly over us, as we were poling through the Meadows, and drop out of sight in the long grass. Five times during my visit I saw a Bittern on the wing. Will met me and we had a nice supper of liver, bacon, biscuits, and delicious strawberries, soon after our arrival that we might take as long a stroll as possible before dark. We walked around Ball’s Hill and over Pine Ridge & Davis Hill, examining the plants, and landscape, and noting the birds. We noted 23 species which I shall append later. A Quail was calling BobWhite across the river at intervals, a Swamp Sparrow was trilling in the low land, and Swifts, Barn, Eave & Bank Swallows were sailing over the marshes, catching the insects that form their daily meal. Occasionally the flight-song of our oven bird would be

106 A Trip to Concord, Mass. 1900 June 29-30 (2) heard, and from the deep woods the gushing song of the Wilson’s Thrush would charm the listener. At one spot we started a Partridge with a covey of young, and after the brood, each bird about the size of a pigeon, had disappeared with loud whirring of wings, we heard the old hen whining like a small dog as she crept about in the bushes to distract our attention from her offspring. Two or three times after we started a Partridge. As we stood on Davis Hill we heard three Tanagers singing at once, and returning through the increasing twilight suddenly a Cotton-tail Rabbit hopped into the path before us, and with ears erect sat motionless for some minutes, disappearing into the woods only as we drew near. The loud keé-yau, keé-yau of the Redshouldered Hawk rang through the air as we sauntered along, but it came from the mouth of a Blue-Jay, a mimic in more ways than one.

It is astonishing to see the number of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants that Will has set out over his large place. In an open field we walked through an avenue of pines, small yet, but in the future to line a long drive way , with a row on either side, and an extra row outside for a pathway.

We had a pleasant evening talking in the cabin, and I slept soundly through the night.

107 A Trip to Concord, Mass. 1900 June 29-30 (3) This morning we breakfasted at about 6.30 and soon drove up to the Barrett Farm. Peter, the man, having come down in the buggy with Charlie the bright active horse, 30 years old that was 12 years of age, 15 years ago when Will’s father bought him. I saw the cow from Mr. G.F. Day’s of Peterborough, and the large, hollowed-out rock that Mr. Day put salt in to feed his sheep. That huge rock struck Will’s fancy as it lay in the pasture in Peterborough and now it rests before the Barrett House and holds water for the pigeons. Will showed me an Indigo nest with two cold eggs among the raspberry bushes near the house. The birds had reared a single one. I also saw a Phoebe’s nest under the eaves of the barn.

From the Barrett House we walked through the woods and fields for two or three hours before we reached the cabin at 12. In the Barrett woods we visited the grove of Red Pines (Pinus resinosa), a most interesting species in this section. They are good-sized healthy trees and innumerable seedlings are scattered about. Many of these have been transplanted to other places. As we approached a large mass of rock in these woods, Will

108 A Trip to Concord, Mass. 1900 June 29-30 (4) Fox in Concord. told me a story of an adventure he had two or three days before with a fox at this very place. He was standing on the rock (it is called Pulpit Rock) looking towards a stone wall some thirty yards ahead, when he saw a fox clear the wall, approach a short distance with head down, and then follow a run way going about parallel with the wall. Will immediately began to squeak like a mouse and at the same time remained absolutely motionless. The fox turned sharply at the sound and with head still lowered, never looking up, moved towards Will. The squeaking continued and the fox advanced till within about 20 feet. He was a big fellow and looked ugly, and Will grew nervous and was about to stop the noise, when the fox paused, and made a circuit of just half a circumference to get the scent probably of the object he was after for the wind was blowing up to this time from the fox to Will. The second he had completed the circuit, he learned that a man, his natural enemy was near, and without a moment’s hesitation he bounded away aided by the shouts that Will uttered when he learned that he was discovered.

This shows how dependent the fox is upon scent to learn what to seek, and what to avoid in his hard search for a living. Certainly in this case, had he seen Will before he did, he would have run off then.

109 A Trip to Concord, Mass. 1900 June 29-30 (5) Introduced plants. We continued our walk and visited many spots where choice plants had been introduced, either in sphagnum bog, or on a slope under the pines, & in rich soil in deep woods, or in the dry open sandy soil. I was struck by the large number that Will has been bringing to his estate. I saw Ledum latifolium, Moneses grandiflorum, Epigaea repens, Habenaria orbiculata, {Habenaria} fimbriata, Cytisus scoparius (Scotch Broom), Phegopteris dryopteris, {Phegopteris} polypodioides, Adiantum pedatum and many others.

The wind was so high that comparatively few birds were singing. The scream of a Redshouldered Hawk attracted our attention in one place and we saw the large fine bird sail over our heads above the trees. A Blue Jay never keeps up the cry of this Hawk more than a very few times. He either stops or changes his tune into his regular cry.

Quail's nest with 17 eggs After dinner Will was busy superintending some work near the cabin, and so I crossed the river with Gilbert and walked over to a farm owned by a Mr. Arnold to visit a Quail’s nest. It was remarkable in being absolutely exposed. The situation was in the side of a small bank some six feet from a stone wall across which was the highway between Concord and West Bedford. A small hole was scooped out in the bank, and lined with dry grass and in that