° '1915 J Kopman, Birds of Louisiana. 17 



late in the season. As a matter of fact, an early spring in southern Louisi- 

 ana, from the standpoint of temperature and progress of vegetation, seldom 

 has a pronounced effect on the course of the migrations. 



The Chimney Swift is usually more in evidence after the latter part of 

 June than in the late spring and early summer. Numbers are often seen 

 sailing at a moderate height at this time, as though the more pressing 

 duties of the nesting season had been concluded. The first week in July, 

 1897, I noticed that during the daytime young swifts began to leave a 

 chimney in which they had been reared. About August 15, the year preced- 

 ing, I observed the same thing at the same location, and have concluded 

 that a second brood is generally reared as soon as the first comes out. 

 In the case of the young birds observed in August, of course, the first 

 brood must have appeared somewhat earlier than in 1897, but I was not on 

 the ground when the first brood might have been expected. In 1897, on 

 the other hand, I did not observe that a second brood was reared where the 

 first was noted. I think the observations of the two seasons, however, 

 indicate very plainly that with the species as a whole, two broods are com- 

 monly reared. 



The Chimney Swift is very common in southern Louisiana during the 

 latter part of summer and in the early fall. It is usually common also 

 in the early part of October, and in warm weather after the middle of the 

 month, important flights are often seen. The normal date of departure 

 is Oct. 25-28. The latest date of departure recorded is Nov. 4, 1896. 



191. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris). Common- 

 est as a transient, but in the State as a whole it is a fairly common breeder. 

 I have heard of one or two instances of its being seen in winter. In the 

 southern section of the State it is decidedly uncommon as a breeder. Per- 

 sonally I have seen but two nests, one in a live oak in St. James parish, 

 and the other in an elm in St. Mary parish. The latter was found early 

 in July and contained one fresh egg. 



While the Hummingbird usually arrives at the latitude of New Orleans 

 within a day or two of March 20, the movements occasionally show consider- 

 able aberration. For instance, in 1897, the first was seen March 7, and on 

 the same date in 1902 at New Iberia, La. ; while in the latter year, the first 

 was reported by Mr. Andrew Allison from Bay St. Louis, Miss., on Feb. 20. 

 On the other hand, it is not observed some seasons until after the first of 

 April. It usually becomes common, however, the last week in March. 

 There are several decided transient movements later in the spring, and al- 

 most invariably a decided influx for a few days between the 5th and 15th 

 of May. These latter movements are always observed when the weather 

 has become suddenly cooler. 



Hummingbirds usually show an increase the latter part of August or 

 early part of September. The last is usually seen about the same time as 

 the Nighthawk and Chimney Swift, that is, the last week of October, or 

 first few days of November. 



The Hummingbird is often very conspicuous in September on the Gulf 



