No. 20.] THE BIRDS OF CONNECTICUT. 99 



in a broad band that extended from horizon to horizon, were 

 watched flying westerly not far from the coast for about a quar- 

 ter of an hour; the number of birds still passing showing little 

 diminution when he was obliged to leave. 



Suborder CYPSELI. Swifts. 



Family MICROPODIDJE. Swifts. 

 Subfamily Ch^eturin^:. Spine-tailed Swifts. 



Chaetura pelagica (Linnaeus). Chimney Swift. 



An abundant summer resident from May until September. 



Earliest record. New Haven, April 19, 1884, April 14, 1876 

 (Osborne) ; J Portland, April 18, 1896. 



Latest record. New Haven, Oct. 29, 1888; Portland, Oct. 11, 

 1877. 



LTnusual record. New Haven, Nov. 7, 1907, one found dead 

 after a heavy storm (L. B. B.). 



Nest. In a chimney. 



Eggs. 3 to 5 ; latter part of June. 



Nesting dates. Earliest record. June 4, 1897, five eggs (J. 

 H. H.). Latest record. July 4, 1890, three eggs (H. W. B.). 



In the latter part of the summer these birds often collect in 

 large flocks, sometimes three or four hundred strong, and spend 

 the night together in some commodious chimney. Flying over 

 this chimney in a broad circle toward dark, some of them are 

 constantly dropping into it until all have disappeared for the 

 night. One such roosting chimney was found in Portland by 

 J. H. S. in 1877, and another in Guilford by L. B. B. in 1884. 



Suborder TROCHILI. Hummingbirds. 

 Family TROCHILID^E. Hummingbirds. 



Archilochus colubris (Linnaeus). Ruby-throated Humming- 

 bird. 



A tolerably common summer resident from the middle of 

 May until August, but apparently not as common as formerly. 



Earliest record. New Haven, May 4, 1882; Portland, May 

 5, I905- 



1 Merriam, Birds of Conn., p. 59. 



