BIRDS OF NEW YORK 353 



Riverdale, 1876; DeLe Eerier from New Utrecht in 1878; Ralph and Bagg 

 from Trenton Falls in 1886; Burtch and Stone from Branchpoint, 1886. 

 Now bird students and collectors find it at nearly every station. I have 

 no doubt that the Rough -winged swallow has gradually extended its range 

 in this part of the country and become common in localities where it was 

 entirely absent 50 years ago, my own experience at Springville seeming 

 to confirm this at least for that station. No Rough-winged swallows 

 were found in that vicinity as late as 1884 when I ceased working there 

 as a youth. When I returned to make a summer survey of the birds of 

 that vicinity in 1900, I found the Rough-winged swallows common in 

 many localities where they were wholly unknown 20 years before. Col- 

 lectors in Niagara, Ontario and Monroe counties have told me similar 

 tales of their experiences. I feel certain that my own experience was not 

 due to overlooking these swallows in earlier days, for of all the specimens 

 taken never was a Rough- winged swallow secured, and the especial pair 

 which I expected might turn out to be Rough-winged swallows I found 

 by reexamining my collection were Bank swallows as they had originally 

 been labeled. This species arrives from the south from the 20th to the 

 30th of April but, as far as my experience goes in western New York, 

 disappears very early in the summer. I have never seen one later than 

 the 1st of August, although they may remain later, as is indicated by 

 observers in other parts of the State. Chapman records them as late as 

 September 1 to 10, and others in the Hudson valley report them as depart- 

 ing on August 12. It may be that after the breeding season is over they 

 go to other localities, but they certainly are not found along the rivers and 

 lake shores where they nest in May and June. 



Haunts and habits. The flight of the Rough-winged swallow is slightly 

 slower than that of the Bank swallow and not quite so irregular. The 

 stroke of the wings is more deliberate. They nest in smaller communities, 

 sometimes 5 or 6 pairs being found about the same gravel pit, along the 

 same shale bank, or about the abutments of the same large culvert or stone 

 bridge, but I have never seen more than 7 pairs nesting in the same imme- 



