THE VAUX SWIFT. 413 



inaccessible, being full}' 300 feet higli and almost perpendicular: and without 

 suitable ropes to lower one from above it was both useless and impracticable 

 to make an attempt to reach the nests. These were evidently placetl well 

 back in the fissures, as nothing bearing a resemblance to one was \'isible 

 from either above or below. In this locality I belie\e fresh eggs mav Ije 

 looked for about June 23." 



I had word of the nesting of these birds in the summer of 1906 upon 

 a majestic rock wall overliH iking the Sahale Glacier in the Upper Horseshoe 

 Basin of Chelan County, but a visit paid to this scene the following season 

 failed to discover either nests or birds, altho local miners were readv to 

 confirm the report of their presence the previous season. Dr. IvJward Hasell. 

 of Victoria, informs me that tliev have nested about a certain cliff overlookine 

 Cowichan Lake on \'ancouver Island. The cliff referred to is about 1,600 

 feet high, and access was, therefore, out of the question. Mr. ^V. H. \\'right, 

 the well-known nature student and guide, of Spokane, tells me that he once 

 saw these birds nesting among some cliff's called "The Chimneys," which 

 are five or si.x miles distant from Priest. Idaho. He saw the Swifts carrying 

 twigs to the cliff's, but did not take further notice of their actions. He 

 visited The Chimneys at the same time of vear on each of two succeeding- 



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seasons, but saw nothing of the Swifts. From these reports, and from the 

 fact that the country referred to by Bendire has been ransacked in vain. I 

 conclude that the Black Swifts are continually shifting the scene of their 

 annual nestings, being, in fact, as erratic in this regard as thev are in the 

 matter of their local appearances at the lower levels. 



No. 160. 



VAUX'S SWIFT. 



A. O. U. Xo. 424. Chaetura vauxi (Townsend). 



Description. — .Adults: Above, sooty brown, lightening, nearly hair-brown, 

 on rump and upper tail-coverts : below, light sooty gray, lightening, nearly white, 

 on chin and throat ; lores velvety black ; shafts of tail-feathers denuded' at tips 

 a third of an inch. Length about 4.50 (114. 3) ; wing 4.50 (114.3) ; tail 1.59 (40). 



Recognition Marks. — Strictly "pygmy size," Init comparison misleading — 

 to appearance, swallow size ; rapid erratic flight and bow-and-arrow-shaped 

 position in flight distinctive. Altho this species is only half the size of the 

 preceding, careful discrimination is necessar}^ while the birds are a-wing. 



Nesting. — Xcst: a shallow half-saucer of short twigs, glued together with 



