zj.00 " General Notes. \s)cx. 



Bulletin, No. 31), reminds me of a somewhat similar case which came to 

 my notice in June, 1897. A barn in Ljnnfield, unoccupied and seldom 

 visited, was frequented by Flickers, several holes being made by them in the 

 sides of the building. All the holes that I saw were made where a seam 

 was formed by two boards. A pair of the Flickers nested in the barn 

 laying their eggs on some hay. I did not myself see the eggs in position 

 but the facts in the case were later furnished me by Mr. J. W. Ross, the 

 owner of the property. 



A pile of hay some five or six feet high occupied one corner of the barn. 

 The Flicker laid her eight eggs on this hay pile, making a slight depres- 

 sion. The eggs were laid close to the side of the barn and about one foot 

 below the hole made therein by the birds. 



Mr. Ross visited his barn at infrequent intervals and thinks that this will 

 explain why the Flickers nested therein. On the occasion of one visit in 

 May the bird flew from her eggs on the hay and made her escape through 

 one of the holes. Two of the eight eggs were taken by boys, but the 

 others hatched and Mr. Ross believes that the young were safely reared. 

 This instance of the Flicker nesting within a building differs from that 

 recorded in the 'Wilson Bulletin ' in that the Massachusetts bird utilized 

 hay for a nesting-place while in the other case the eggs were laid on 

 boarding. — J. A. Farley, Maiden, Mass. 



Maine Bird Notes. — The Swallow Roost, of which I gave an account 

 some years ago (Auk, Jan., 1S95, p. 48) has moved to another location 

 within two or three years. 



I think the first impulse to change was given by the felling of most of 

 the willows which they were wont to frequent. From time to time trees 

 had been cleared away, but this cutting was on more wholesale lines and 

 not to the Swallows' liking. There was, however, sufficient small willow 

 growth farther back on the point for roosting, but they did not take to it, 

 and though the banks are again thick with new growth they have not 

 returned. 



The next summer after the cutting of the trees they would collect, yet 

 in smaller and smaller numbers, and go through some of their evolu- 

 tions, either in memory of old times or from force of habit, and then 

 depart half a mile southeast to the Kennebec River. I have been told by 

 people living close by, that there had been for some time a smaller roost 

 on an island in the Kennebec, seven or eight hundred feet long and cov- 

 ered bv a thicket of willows Avith an occasional elm tree. It was lo this 

 roost that the Messalonskee Swallows joined themselves. Here are per- 

 formed bv a countless host similar interesting manoeuvres to those before 

 described and by the same kinds of Hirundinid;e. 



I have never seen any suggestion of Martins {Progne siibis) being night 

 birds, but a few years ago, about ten o'clock of a bright moonlight night 

 in August — my note-book says August 8 — I was resting in a hammock 

 outdoors, when I heard the calls of Martins. A few minutes later my 

 husband coming up the walk said, " Did you hear that .?" 



