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

35 1900 May 6 (4)

Walking round on to the embankment of the Massachusetts Central R.R. which gave a good view of the swamp, I met two small boys with a large, black dog. They showed me a large Water Snake sunning himself on a plank that was floating in the stream near the fork of the embankment. It was at least three feet and was coiled two or three times, his tail stretching out on the plank, and his head resting in the middle. I watched him for some time through my glass, and made out distinctly his markings. His body is brown with irregular reddish brown transverse bands. Presently one of the boys tossed a small stone at him. It struck the plank, and like a flash of lightning, the snake slipped into the black water and disappeared. I cannot imagine a movement more rapid.

The boys were bright little fellows, well acquainted with the common objects of nature about them. They live in the neighborhood. I walked some way down the track with them and was shown a Flicker's hole in one of the telegraph poles by the track, and about ten feet above the ground. They had seen the bird go in and out. Two more small boys joined us and we strolled back toward the Waverley Station. The boys heard Bitterns pumping every evening in the swamp. This swamp lies just north of the Fitchburg & {Massachusetts] Central tracks between the Waverley

36 1900 May 6 (5)

and the Clematis Brook Stations. I heard a Bittern pumping there one evening last spring. One of the boys caught a young Bittern last summer and kept it for some time when it escaped. I left the boys at 12.15 and they promised to meet me next Sunday again. I reached home for dinner. The following is the list of birds seen in Waverley: – Anas obscura - 2 in swamp, flying & alighting, legs red. Colaptes auratus luteus - 1 shouting. Chaetura pelagica - About 6. Trochilus colubris - One flew about 20 ft. over my head in the upper Reservation. Sayornis phoebe - 1 singing same place as a week ago. Empidonax minimus - 1 in swamp, silent. Corvus americanus - Flock of 8 or 10 in Reservation, active and noisy. Agelaius phoeniceus - {Flock of} 12 or more, 3 of them ♀♀ {2 females} swamp Quiscalus quiscula aereus - {Flock} of 15 or 20 in swamp. Passer domesticus - Here, there & every where. Astragalinus tristis - Flock of a dozen, singing – Melospiza fasciata - 2 or 3 singing in swamp. {Melospiza} georgiana - 2 in swamp, singing. Pipilo erythrophthalmus - 1 calling by stone wall. Hirundo erythrogaster - {Flock} of ten or so. Vireo olivaceus, 1 singing in upper Reservation. Mniotilta varia, 3, 1 singing, 2 chasing each other. Dendroica aestiva. 1 singing in swamp. {Dendroica} coronata. 1 in swamp, feeding. Geothlypis trichas. 1 singing in low bushes in swamp Parus atricaphillus. {Flock} of 6 or nine, chasing each other, [symbol written]. Merula migratoria - Several —

37 Cambridge, Mass. 1900 May 10

Last night cold with frost. To-day cold, with cloud and sunshine alternating. A little snow fell this afternoon, merely a few flakes, followed by rain for a few minutes.

Birds in the Garden There must have been a heavy flight of birds fron the south last night. The cold weather kept them here today. I have been all day as usual in the Museum, with occasional casual walks round the garden. The place has been full of birds and they have been surprisingly tame. The Olive-backed Thrushes that are usually shy, would stand in the path and allow an approach with in twenty feet, as would the Catbirds, while the Oven-bird would walk within three paces of it me. They were over the Garden all day. At one time I saw at one place, a Red start, Catbird and Olive-backed Thrush. Every afternoon I append a list of the birds observed in the garden that day to the Garden List. This day, however, has been so unusual that I shall make a list here of what I have seen: – Empidonax minimus. One, seen several times, very tame, feeding. Corvus americanus. One, flying over, cawing. Icterus galbula. Two ♂♂ {males} singing. Astragalinus tristis Heard singing in the cedar by the house.

38 Cambridge, Mass. 1900 May 10 (2)

Zonotrichia albicollis Two, calling occasionally, one with very white throat one with dull-colored throat Hirundo erythogaster. Four flying over Mniotilta varia One on the willow by the lilacs. Dendroica aestiva One, singing actively all day — Dendroica palmarum hypochrysea. One feeding on the ground by the old pond, very tame. Seiurus aurocapilla One walking daintily over the garden all day. I saw him whenever I wnt out. He would walk close up to me, within three paces, and I never had a more beautiful view of the species. Seiurus noveboracensis One, calling occasionally, he came very near my window once. Yesterday he sang beautifully. Geothlypis trichas One ♂ {male}. I would walk up within a few feet of him, and he would toss his little black fronted face into the air and pass forth his sweet loud song. Setophaga ruticilla. One ♂ {male} in exquisite plumage. He was very fond of bath in a dish of water just outside my window and them sitting in the crab apple tree within a few feet of me, preen his feathers, and give me a fine view of him.

39 Cambridge, Mass. 1900 May 10 (3)

Galeoscoptes carolinensis. Two birds, very tame, first seen by the new pond. They were here and there all day, seldom out of sight. They were silent, though one sang yesterday. Merula migratoria At least four, flying about singing and feeding all day. There may have been more but it is hard to count them. Hylocichla ustulata swainsoni. Two hopping about, eating worms, and occasionally clucking. They were very tame for Thrushes. I saw them a dozen or more times. Quiscalus quiscula aeneus. One flying over —

Yesterday I saw in the Garden a Parula Warbler (Compsothlypis americana usneae). Miss Emily Chapman told me this evening of the large number of birds about their house to-day on Buckingham St. Among other were a Magnolia and a Chestnutsided Warbler (Dendroica maculosa and {Dendroica} pensylvanica).