Massachusetts General Laws Part I. Administration of the Government (Ch. 1-182) Ch. 46, § 1A

Each town clerk shall receive or obtain and record in the record of births facts relative to births of abandoned children and foundlings found within the limits of his town and the identity of whose parents is unknown. The facts relative to births required by section one shall, so far as possible, be set forth in records subject to this section, except that the town wherein such child or foundling was found shall be recorded as the place of birth, and that the date recorded as the date of birth shall be that determined by the commissioner of children and families. Such a record shall constitute the birth record of such child or foundling.