THE AMERICAN BARN SWALLOW. 
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insect from the sky. Back again, in again, out again, away, anywhere, every- 
where, with two-mile a minute speed and effortless grace. 
But it is the sweet confidingness of this dainty Swallow which wins us. 
With all the face of Nature before him he yet prefers the vicinage of men, and 
comes out of his hilly fastnesses as soon as we provide him shelter. We all like 
to be trusted whether we deserve it or not. And if we don’t deserve it; well, 
we will, that’s all. 
The Barn Swallow is not a common bird with us as it is east of the 
Rockies, nor is it evenly distributed thruout our State. Wherever the country 
is well settled it is likely, but not certain, to be found; while for the rest it is 
confined to such lower altitudes as afford it suitable shelter caves and nesting 
cliffs. 
At the head of Lake Chelan in 1895 I found such a primitive nesting 
haunt. The shores of the lake near its head are very precipitous, since Castle 
Mountain rises to a height of over 8,000 feet within a distance of two miles. 
Along the shore-line in the side of the cliffs, which continue several hundred 
feet below the water, the waves have hollowed out crannies and caves. In one 
of these latter, 
which penetrates 
the granite wall to 
a depth of some 
twenty feet. I found 
four or five Barn 
Swallows’ nests, 
some containing 
young, and two, al- 
tho it was so late in 
the season (July 9, 
1895), containing 
eggs. Other nests 
were found in 
neighboring cran- 
nies outside the 
cave. A visit paid 
to this same spot on 
August roth, 18096, 
discovered one nest 
still occupied, and 
this contained four 
eggs. 
Mr. F. S: Merrill, Taken near Spokane. Photo by F. S. Merril. 
of Spokane, reports NEST OF BARN SWALLOW. 
