I 



Jones — Ox Birds of Cedar Poixt. 203 



big spring wave whlcli sweeps througli about the first of May. I 

 have no records later than July 30. After the birds cease singing 

 it seems impossible to find them, or else they move southward 

 earlier than one would be led to expect. The experiences of Tav- 

 erner and Swales on Point Pelee prove that they do not leave be- 

 fore September. Probably there is no fly line across the region un- 

 der consideration. On April 29 and May 13, 1907, Whip-poor-wills 

 were in such numbers on the sand spit that an accurate count was 

 impossible. In 1908 a pair evidently nested a few rods west of the 

 Lake Laboratory, for it was present during the whole of the sum- 

 mer term — June 22 to July 30. 



119. Chordeiles virginianus. — Nighthawk. 



Irregular, but never common, as a summer resident. I have seen 

 more individuals of this species flying over the high buildings of 

 Cleveland in an hour of an evening than I have seen in a whole sea- 

 son in the region under consideration. Migrations occur in late 

 August pnd early September, but the birds may be going east or 

 northeast instead of southerly. In fact, I have noted more east- 

 erly migrations than southerly, at such times. Nighthawks prob- 

 ably reach this region during the first week of May, although more 

 of my records fall later than the middle of May than during the 

 first ; however, the birds are too few in numbers to make one cer- 

 tain that the first seen are the first arrivals. My latest fall date is 

 September 21, 1896. Nighthawks are seldom seen in the nesting 

 season away from the larger cities, where they seem to nest on the 

 tops of the tall buildings. Nests are occasionally found in woods. 



120. ChwtHira pelagica. — Chimney Swift. 



The arrival and departure of the Swift are easily noted because 

 the bird is one of the commonest and most conspicuous of our sum- 

 mer birds. The median date of arrival is April 20, the earliest be- 

 ing April 11, 1896, and the latest April 29, 1907, which is six days 

 later than the next latest date. Weather conditions held the Swifts 

 back in 1907. Recorded dates of departure are October 6, 10, 11, 

 14, 17, 18, 23, the last date being in 1899. These dates are seen to 

 be coincident with the first cold October storm. During the spring 

 and the nesting season, and until the young are flying about, more 

 birds are seen in town all day than elsewhere, but from the time 

 the young leave the nest until the southward departure more are 

 seen in the country districts, particularly above woods, during the 

 day. At evening twilight the birds return to their roosting place 

 to pass the night, and are gone in the morning before most humans 

 are stirring. No hollow tree nestings are known hereabouts, the 

 birds using the chimneys for that purpose. For roosting the chim- 



