Page:Summer - from the Journal of Henry D. Thoreau.djvu/126

116 forsaken;&quot;—has seen &quot;sometimes two of these eggs in the same nest, but in this case one of them commonly proves abortive,&quot;—&quot;is almost oval, scarcely larger than that of the bluebird.&quot; He says it is &quot; thickly sprinkled with points and confluent touches of olive brown, of two shades, somewhat more numerous at the greater end, on a white ground tinged with green. But in some of these eggs the ground is almost pure white, and the spots nearly black.&quot;

June 12, 1859. To Gowing's Swamp. I am struck with the beauty of the sorrel now. What a wholesome red ! It is densest in parallel lines, according to the plowing or cultivation. There is hardly a more agreeable sight at this season.

June 12, 1860. Up Assabet. I find several Emys insculpta nests and eggs, and see two painted turtles going inland to lay, at 2 At this moment these turtles are on their way inland, to lay their eggs, all over the State, warily drawing in their heads and waiting when you come by. Here is a painted turtle just a rod inland, its back all covered with the fragments of green leaves blown off and washed up yesterday, which now line the shore. It has come out through this wrack. As the river has gone down, these green leaves mark the bank in lines, like saw-dust.