Biillt'tin Xo. 24. 9 



A " Bachelor" Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias. — July 3, 1898. 

 an adult was secured from the vicinity of a mill dam on the Darby creek, 

 a mile and a half south of Berwyn, and brought to me to be mounted. 

 It was an unusually large specimen, lacking but an inch of six feet in 

 extent. Its diet must have been rather light for so immense a bird, as 

 its stomach contained several dragon flies, and a few fragments of a craw- 

 fish and flesh of a frog. I failed to find any evidence of testes or ovaries 

 and think it probable that it was sterile — doubtless a by no means rare 

 condition for unmated, solitary and wandering birds and mammals. I was 

 informed that this heron had been seen about for several days previous. 



Frank L, Burns, Renvyn, Penna. 



Chimney Swift Roost — Perhaps they had used our east chimney as a 

 sleeping place before this fall, but if so, I failed to observe it. Annually 

 a brood of young have issued from this and another chimney for at least 

 fifteen years except the season of 1895, when none appeared to occupy 

 the flues. It is the ordinary type of brick chimney for a dwelling, the 

 single flue or chamber being eight by fourteen inches and running from 

 foundations to above the roof, a distance of about thirty-five feet, and is 

 seldom used. On the evening of August 25th, I counted nineteen birds 

 entering, which number made neither loss nor gain until the 31st, when 

 thirty-one entered. The next evening — September i — a further increase 

 to thirty-seven which was the highest until the 7th and 8th — when the 

 high water mark was reached — fifty-eight being counted. On the 7th, 

 after a short rain storm at 6:50 p. m., the mercury stood at 68° F. — a fall 

 of almost 200 — the sky overcast with lead -colored clouds and a brisk 

 wind blowing. The Swifts were collecting at this time and circled about 

 in a bewildering manner, now and then a few would rest for but a 

 moment or so on the top branches of a tall locust, but in about ten 

 minutes they began to drop in the chimney in singles, pairs or bunches 

 of threes, until 6:48, when the last had disappeared. I noticed that if 

 a bird followed too closely after a small number, it flew out and around 

 again until room could be made for it or the previous arrivals could 

 settle, while others would make a feint of entering for perhaps the same 

 reason. The cool weather continued during the next day and night when 

 the same number appeared, falling off to eighteen on the following 

 evening, and none roosting there after the 17th, although a few were 

 seen in the neighborhood up to the fifth of October. 



Frank L. Burns, Berzcvfi. Peu)U(. 



