56 Bulletin No. 21. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



Rough-winged Swallow. — We have long suspected that this Swallow 

 nested on the shale cliffs on the Vermillion River, in this county, but 

 were able to verify our suspicions only this summer. On the 24th of 

 June, I saw one of these birds visit a cranny in the well shaded west 

 wall, at a point nine feet above the river. By the aid of a short log, I 

 reached up and explored the black, narrow passage, formed by the 

 partial springing .of a superficial shale layer. Several half fledged young 

 rested on a considerable heap of straw at a distance of about two feet 

 and a half. The female charged boldly at me twice, but for the most 

 part did not venture within fifty feet of me.^ 



English Sparrow Nesting in Shale Cliffs. — It is usually gratifying 

 to find a bird nesting in a state of absolute nature. For instance, altho 

 we are often pleased to have the birds accept our hospitality, it is more 

 interesting to find a Chimney Swift nesting in a hollow tree than in the 

 present conventional situation. But I confess to feelings of mingled 

 disgust and despair when I found, on July 4th last, that the English 

 Sparrows were nesting freely on the high shale cliffs of the Vermillion 

 River near Mill Hollow. Is no place safe from the desecration of these 

 impudent intruders ? Every available cranny of the cliffs at this point 

 was occupied by them, and the clatter of passerine Billingsgate filled 

 the air. The place is several hundred yards from any buildings and is 

 as secluded as any native bird could desire. Doubtless these ruffians 

 are dispossessing the Rough-winged Swallows, who were finding all too 

 few favorable nesting sites as it was. 



W. L. Dawson, Oberlin, Ohio. 



Is it generally observed that the female Goldfinch is an outrageous 

 thief? On the 7th day of May last year, as I sat at the window watch- 

 ing a Chipping Sparrow building her nest in a small red cedar, I observed 

 that every time the Sparrow went off in search of more material the 

 Goldfinch quietly slipped into the bush and proceeded to pull the nest 

 apart, flying off with portions of it in her bill. What could she want of 

 it so long before her own nesting season ? Later on, last summer we 

 watched a female Goldfinch pull a Hummingbird's nest to pieces, 

 taking out the downy lining almost faster than the Hummingbird could 

 put it in. 



Miss E. D. Roberts, IVooster, O/iio. 



