610 THE BIRDS OF MANITOBA THOMPSON. 



nests ou a single gable ; in some parts the ranks on this photograph are 

 fifteen deep. 



Although taking possession of their nests as soon as they arrive, these 

 birds do not begin to lay until 2 weeks later. On the 4th of June I ex- 

 amined a number of these mud bottles on an empty house, a little be- 

 yond Shoal Lake, and was surprised to flud that although all were 

 tenanted very few as yet contained eggs, and most of these only one. 

 All of these large colonies are placed noticeably near some lake or river, 

 and an examination of the gizzard of one shot at this last mentioned 

 place, showed it to contain, besides flies, a large number of water 

 beetles, so that when the bird is seen low skimming over the wa1«r and 

 dipping its bill from time to time, it is, beyond doubt, more often feed- 

 ing than drinking. 



About the 23d of August the Cliff Swallows may be seen leaving the 

 Big Plain in flocks. 



The cliff swallow had built its nests in great numbers on the banks of the river (As- 

 siniboiue, at Portage la Prairie), which rose about 16 feet above the level of the 

 water. I counted no less than thirteen groups of them within a distance of 5 miles, 

 when drifting down in a canoe. The cliff swallow was afterward seen in great num- 

 bers on the Little Souris, the south branch of the Saskatchewan, and theQu' Appelle 

 Eivers. (Hine, 1858.) The colonies are increasing yearly. They soon establish them- 

 selves in every small settlement that is built up and also about farm buildings. 

 Arrive about May 16, depart as soon as the young can fly well, usually the first week 

 in August (Nash, in MSS.). 



212. Chelidon erythrogaster. Barn Swallow. 



Very rare summer resident. Mouse River and various other points 

 along the line (Coues). Winnipeg : Accidental visitant ; rare (Hine). 

 Portage la Prairie : Doubtful (Nash). Carberry : Rare spring visitant ; 

 arrived May 11, 1882, and May 4, 1884 (Thompson ). Shell River, 1885 : 

 First seen, four, on May 30 ; transient visitants only ; not breeding (Cal- 

 cutt). Qu' Appelle : Summer resident ; breeds ; arrives about May 20 

 (Guernsey). 



I recollect seeing a flock of swallows that tenanted a certain barn in 

 Ontario leave en masse during a heavy thunder storm, and perch ou a 

 bare tree in the drenching rain, I suppose, for the sake of the bath. 

 Has this any connection with the notion that swallow-tenanted barns 

 are safe from lightning"? The withdrawal of the swallows during the 

 storm when some barn has been struck may have, by an ancient and 

 honorable process of logic, given rise to the idea that the circumstances 

 were cause and effect. 



This bird does not occur near Portage la Prairie or Winnipeg. I once thought I 

 saw one at the former place skim past my boat, but as the morning was very misty 

 and I never saw another, I may be mistaken. (Nash, in MSS.) 



213. Tachycineta bicolor. Tree Swallow. "White-breasted Swallow. 



Common summer resident of wooded regions ; at Pembina breeding 

 in small numbers (Coues). Winnipeg: Summer resident 5 abundant 



