VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW 375 



familiar tree swallow, which it largely replaces in the West, though 

 sometimes associated with it. 



In the mountain ranges of Arizona we found it at the higher ele- 

 vations, nesting mainly above 7,500 feet and among the pines near 

 the summits ; however, a few pairs could generally be found at lower 

 levels in the wooded canyons. In New Mexico Mrs. Bailey (1928) 

 found it breeding in the mountains at elevations varying from 11,300 

 to 6,500 feet. James B. Dixon tells me that it is a bird of the higher 

 elevations in California; he found it nesting near Mono Lake at 

 6,500 feet and at Escondido at 1,400 feet. Evidently it prefers to 

 nest in the mountains throughout the southern portion of its range. 



Spring. — The violet-green swallow is an early migrant and has 

 a long journey before it to reach its northernmost summer resort. 

 Theed Pearse writes to me that he has seen it passing through Bri- 

 tish Columbia in great numbers in spring, during the last few days 

 in March and through April. 



Mr. Eathbun says, in his notes from Seattle: "The first arrivals 

 in spring will generally be seen hawking about over some low meadow. 

 Then, for a short period following, they are likely to be observed 

 flying about the localities where they have been in the habit of nest- 

 ing in previous years. Then they disappear, not to be seen again 

 during the day. As the season progresses, the birds begin to linger 

 longer about these particular spots, and, when early April comes, 

 the swallows become fairly established in localities where it is their 

 intention to breed. Their twittering notes are a most welcome sound 

 in the spring." 



He tells me that in 1936 bad weather, low temperature, and several 

 inches of snow on March 27 caused the death of many of these swal- 

 lows. One of his friends found 20 or 30 dead violet-green swallows 

 within the space of a week along a short stretch of highway, and he 

 had reports of others that had succumbed. 



Courtship. — Mr. Rathbun (MS.) records in his notes his experience 

 with early-morning flight songs, heard long before sunrise, of the 

 violet-green swallow, which appear to be a part of the nuptial per- 

 formance. I quote directly from his notes as follows : "June 5, 1923. 

 This morning I arose at 1.45 to make some notes. It is mild, the stars 

 shine brilliantly, and at this hour there is no moon. 2.26 a. m. The 

 first notes are heard coming from a violet-green swallow. Within 

 the next two minutes, notes from a number of the swallows were 

 heard, the birds flying rapidly around. At this time, faint traces of 

 the dawn show in the sky at the northeast, but the stars are y&cy bright 

 as it is clear. At 2.33 a. m., the violet-greens are heard on every side, 

 their notes increasing within the next five minutes, the birds seeming 

 to be at quite a low height. As the morning light slowly grows, the 



