THE OOlAXilST. 



'2m 



Avliat, its tiMic history from Ix-coiiiiiig 

 kuoun to oriiithologist-s. Its sooty 

 color was triumphantly alhi(U'tl to by 

 people of small mental eapacity, as 

 substantiating their theory of mini 

 hiliernation. 



Fortunately these ancient ideas have 

 HOW been disproved, and we can study 

 the peculiarities of the Chimney Swift, 

 unhampered by thtm. The bird under 

 consideration arrives in tnis state about 

 May 1st to loth. Jt winters in the West 

 Indies, Mexico, Central and South 

 America. On its arrival here it is first 

 noticed rapiilly dashing through the 

 air, in large circles, and occasionally 

 making eccentric deviations after mi- 

 nute insects, which it devours in large 

 <|uantities. A;? an insect destr<\yer tiiis 

 bird is a great benefit to a community, 

 and yet tue farmer will pull down the 

 old fire-board, detach their nests from 

 the Hues with a pole or hoe, and de- 

 stroy their egg.s or .young. This is done 

 because during the hours of night, the 

 Swifts create too much noise, and ser- 

 iouslj- disturb the farmer's sleep. The 

 sound produced ijy them beating their 

 wings against the enclosed air, and the 

 inner surface of the chimney, sounds 

 like distant thunder, and it is ti'uly 

 annoying. 



It is said, that these birds never 

 alight out side of the ])laces in which 

 the}' stay at night, and I have watched 

 them much, and have never seen them 

 <io so. Even tiie short dead twigs of 

 wiiich their nest is comjiosed, are 

 snapped from trees duriug ihe ijird's 

 flight. A sort of a bracket-like nest is 

 constructed of these twigs, which arc 

 strongly and artistically agglutinated 

 together by the bird's saliva, and it is 

 gunimetl to the interioi" of the Ilu(\ or 

 where ever it may be l)uilt, l»y the same 

 substance. Within the slight concavity 

 of the nest three or four elongated white 

 eggs are laid. If the rain happens to 

 trickle down the Hue, the .saliva is liable 

 to become loosened, when nest and con- 



tents are picc-ipitaled !<> the bed of soot 

 in tlie l)()ttoni of the ciiiumey. I once 

 had a nest that was built on an incline, 

 so that the eggs would roll out of it a* 

 fast as they were laid. For all of the 

 ditliculties these birds have to over- 

 come, they usually rear one brood of 

 j'oung in a season, and occasionally 

 two. 



Wlieu the Ciiimuey Swift is at re»t, 

 it clings to the side of the Hue, like ;t 

 Avoodpeckei' on a tree butt, and tiie- 

 peculiar spine-like termination of its 

 tail feathers greatly facilitates this 

 manner of resting. 



In this city tnere are some tall mill 

 chimneys which are out of use, and 

 these birds, at times, n)ay be seen 

 around tlieui in clouds. One evening 

 just after sunset, several years ago I 

 witnessed a remarkable congregation of 

 Swifts around these chimneys. It was 

 just as they were flocking, preparatory 

 to their depaiture for Ihe south, and at 

 the time I estimated that there were 

 ten thousand biids Hying in extended' 

 circles around the chimneys. At first 

 they could be seen oil" in the distance 

 as far as the eye could reach, i)iit as daik- 

 ness eneroached, their circle of flight 

 was co"itrac!ted, until they were hover- 

 ing over the chimneys in a huge whirl- 

 ing mass. For sonu' time scattering; 

 ones had been settling into the Hues,, 

 but at this time there was a steady- 

 stream of birds pouring in, and when 

 darkness spread its cinunerian mantle 

 over the scene the ingress of Ihe Swifl.s 

 hatl not ceased. 



Audul)i>n visited a great hollow tree 

 in Kentucky, where these birds were 

 wont to enler at night, and he enlereil 

 tile tree with a lanlcin one evening, 

 through an opening lie. had cut at the 

 base. lie coiiipuUMl llie ;ire:i of ihe 

 interioi- surface of this tree, and the 

 numi) 1- of birds occupying a s(|Uare 

 foot, thereby csliuuiling that at least, 

 nine thousand birds were clinging to 

 till' perpendicular interior of the tre*'. 



