118 



BIRDS OF THE ROCKIES 



Cliff-Swallows 



On the n 

 face of a cliff" 



at once; only it must be re- 

 membered that I was in a strange place, and 

 had my ears and eyes set for avian rarities, and 

 therefore blundered. 1 



To my surprise, I found many birds on those 

 steep mountain sides, which were quite well 

 timbered. Above the village a colony of cliff- 

 swallows had a nesting place on the rugged face 

 of a cliff, and were soaring about catching insects 

 and attending to the wants of their greedy young. 

 Besides the species named, I here found war- 

 bling vireos, broad-tailed humming-birds, western 



On this incident I quote a personal note from my 

 friend, Mr. Aiken : "The wren of the Rockies is the 

 western house-wren, but is the same form as that found 

 in the Mississippi Valley. It is quite possible that a 

 difference in song may occur, but I have not noticed 

 any." 



