THE TREE SWALLOW. 345 



ters might iiulucf it to i)cc(iinc ;i pcniiaiient resident of the Pugct Sound 

 countrv, and it is not certain that it has not already done so in some in- 

 stances. It often reaches Seattle during the first week in March; while it 

 was simultaneously observed at Tacuma (Bowles), and Bellingham (Edson) 

 on the 24th day of February, 1905. In 1906 Mr. L. R. Reynolds reported 

 seeing it in numbers on the Skagit marshes near Fir, on tlic ist of February; 

 and I )r. Clinton T. Cooke, looking from his office window in the Alaska 

 Building, saw a large specimen, apparently an adult male, soaring about over 

 the Cirand Opera House, in Seattle, on the Jist day cif January. 



The Tree Swallow is a lover of the water and is seldom to be found 

 at a great distance from it. It is close to the surface of ponds and lakes 

 tlial the earliest insects are to be found in spring, and it is here that the 

 bird may maintain the spotlessness of its plumage by frequent dips. Hence 

 a favorite nesting site for these birds is one of the partially submerged forests 

 which are so characteristic of western Washington lakes. The birds are not 

 themselves able to make excavations in the wood, but they have no difficulty 

 in possessing themselves of the results of other birds' labors. Okl holes will 

 d(j if not too old, but I once knew a ])air of these Swallows to drive away a 

 pair of Northwest Flickers from a brand new nesting-hole, on the banks of 

 Lake Union, and to occupy it themsehes. 



The nesting cavity is copiously lined with dead grass and feathers; and 

 sometime during the last week of Max- from four to six white eggs are 

 deposited. The female sits very closely and it is sometimes necessary to 

 remove her by hand in order to examine the nest. Both ])arents are very 

 solicitous on such occasions, and should a feather from the nest be tossed 

 into the air, one of them will at once catch it and fly about awaiting a chance 

 to replace it. Or if there are other Swallows about, some neighljor will 

 snatch it first and make off with it to add to her own collection. 



Tree Swallows are slowly availing themselves of artificial nesting sites. 

 In fact, several species of our birds have become quite ci\ilized, so that 

 nowadays no carefully constructed and quietly situated bird-box need be 

 without its spring tenant. .\ ])air once built their nest in a sort of tower 

 attic, just inside a hole wliich a Flicker had pierced in the ceiling of an 

 open belfry of a country church in Yakima. When in service the mouth 

 of the swinging bell came within two feet of the brooding bird. One would 

 suppose that the Swallows would have been crazed with fright to find 

 themselves in the midst of such a tumult of sound; but their enterpri.se 

 fared successfullv, as I can testify, for at the proper time I saw the 

 youngsters ranged in a happy, twittering row along the upper rim of the 

 bell-wheel. 



