VAUX'S SWIFT 295 



sections where this swift is found, and it seems to have begun to 

 adapt itself to these, for on occasions it is known to build a nest in 

 some disused chimney, a practice of its eastern relative, the chimney 

 swift, which so commonly uses a like place in which to nest. 



"The nest of Vaux's swift is a small, rather saucer-shaped affair. 

 It is attached to the inner wall of a hollow tree, or on" rare occasions 

 in a chimney, and usually some distance from the top. It is made 

 of small pieces of twigs stuck together with a gluey saliva of the 

 bird, the twigs broken off from the tips of dead limbs of trees by 

 the swift as in flight it passes the branches. It does not seem to 

 be quickly made, as shown by an instance when we found a pair of 

 these birds nesting in a chimney. A few years ago, on a day in early 

 June, we went to a little schoolhouse near the Snoqualmie River in 

 the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, to find out whether the chim- 

 ney of the building was in use as a nesting place by Vaux's swift. 

 This was about 40 miles east of Seattle. When we reached the spot 

 no swifts were to be seen, but after a wait of a half hour or so a 

 pair of the swifts appeared and flew in circles about the chimney. 

 Without warning one of the birds dived into it so quickly the eye 

 could scarcely follow it. After a brief stay within the swift came 

 out of the chimney and was joined by its mate, and for a short time 

 both flew around in the vicinity, then ascended very high to mingle 

 with some swallows. Nearly an hour elapsed before one of the swifts 

 returned. It circled the chimney several times, then dropped into 

 it so quickly as to resemble a dark streak. This time it remained 

 in the chimney at least ten minutes. After another long wait both 

 of the swifts returned, one entered the chimney, and several minutes 

 elapsed before it came out. From these actions we assumed that 

 the one that went into the chimney was making a nest, and invariably 

 each time it flew out it gave a sharp twitter. For some time there- 

 after we stayed in this locality, but although a number of these 

 swifts were seen none entered the chimney. 



"Eleven days later we once more visited the schoolhouse. It was 

 about 10 o'clock in the morning when we reached the place, but 

 no swifts were in the locality. After a short time a pair of the birds 

 arrived, both circled the top of the chimney six times, and then 

 one entered by a straight-down dive. Tlie other, which had remained 

 outside, flew away but returned five minutes later and twittered. 

 Immediately the swift in the chimney came out, and in company 

 both left the vicinity. Forty-five minutes elapsed before the pair 

 came back. With rapid twittering notes they swiftly circled the 

 chimney a number of times, then flew from sight. We went on 

 the roof of the building and looked down the mouth of the chimney 

 but could see no sign of any nest. Next we entered the school- 



