134 Bird -Lore 



I grafted an old Downy Woodpecker's nest on to the top of another post 

 which was driven out in the water, and before I had rowed my boat 15 feet away 

 from it, a female Tree Swallow had alighted and was peering into the hole, 

 while her mate was hovering overhead. The hole seemed to suit, as they 

 almost immediately took possession and began to carry nest materials into it. 



A TREE SWALLOW FAMILY.— THE MOTHER RETURNS 



Although they began nest-building thus early, it was done in a rather desultory 

 manner, and they did not appear in real earnest until the latter part of May. 

 By June 20 they were feeding young, both parents working diligently and 

 supplying an abundance of food, various small dragon-flies forming a large part 

 of it. Both parents were seen carrying excreta from the nest, flying with it out 

 over the water, where they dropped it 5 or 6 rods from the nest. 



A record of a typical half-hours' observation at the nest June 30 follows: 

 Female feeds young while the male sits on top of the stub resting and yawning 

 several times, then he flies away and soon returns with a small dragon-fly, 

 which he takes into the nest and almost immediately reappears with excreta 

 which he carries out over the water, dropping it some distance away. Soon 

 he comes again with another dragonfly, alights at the hole, but flies away again 

 without entering; does this several times, then enters. Appears in the opening, 

 where he remains several minutes until the female comes. She goes in and stays 

 there. Soon he comes back with a dragon-fly, goes part way in, backs out again, 

 and waits for the female to crowd out past him when he goes in. 



Of the nine boxes placed in the marsh this year, five were occupied. 



