SWIFTS 231 



Distribution. — Breeds in eastern North Araerica from northern Mani- 

 toba and Labrador southward, west to the Great Plains ; migrates beyond 

 the United States as far as Yucatan and Jalapa, Mexico. 



Nest. — A wall pocket of twigs, glued tog-ether with saliva and fas- 

 tened to inside of hollow tree or chimney. Egys : 4 to (i, white. 



Food. — Insects. 



The eastern chimney swifts are said to be common in western 

 Kansas. "They are dark little birds who row through the air like 

 racers, twittering sociably as they go. Sometimes as you watch 

 them on a village street you will see them suddenly stop short and 

 pitch down the black mouth of a chimney, for it is now only the 

 most old-fashioned ones who nest in hollow trees. . . . There is 

 actually no record of their alighting anywhere except in a hollow 

 tree or a chimney. They even gather their nesting materials on the 

 wing, breaking off bits of twig in their feet, and it is said with their 

 bills, literally, in passing. ... It would be quite impossible for an 

 ordinary bird to fasten a wall-pocket of twigs to a perpendicular 

 chimney, but the swift is provided with a salivary glue that defies 

 anything but heavy rain." {Birds of Village and Field.) 



424. Chaetura vauxii (Towns.). Vaux Swift. 



Upper parts sooty brown, lighter on rump and tail ; tail tipped with 

 spines ; under parts gray, lighter on throat. 

 Length: 4.15-4..50. wing 4.oO-4.T-'), tail (includ- 

 ing- spines) 1.50-1.90. 



Distribution. — Pacific coast region from Brit- 

 ish Columbia south to Lower California, and fig. 21.. 

 east to western Montana and Arizona — rare and s])oradic east of the Cas- 

 cades and Sierra Nevada ; migrates to Mexico and Central America. 



Nest. — Of small twigs glued together and fastened to the inside of a 

 hollow tree. Fggs : :] to 5, white. 



Food. — Aerial insects. 



Major Bendire says that the Vaux swift usually reaches the United 

 States on its way back from Central America about the middle of 

 April, and leaves in October. It migrates in flocks of from fifty to 

 a hundred, but when at home generally hinits in small flocks of 

 fifteen or twenty. Mr. Anthony once found a pair nesting in a large 

 stub, and says that in going to the nest they would 'circle about 

 fully two hundred feet above the stub, until directly over the ()i)en- 

 ing ; then, darting down like a fla.sh, would disappear with a sharp 

 twitter.' 



Mr. Littlcjohn, of Redwood, Calirornia. lias found a pair of swifts 

 nesting in a chimney, and it will be interesting for observers to 

 watch the birds to see how soon they acquire the habits of the more 

 civilized swifts. 



