10 QUARTERLY BULLETIN. 



The nests of 11. serripennis are generally much more careless- 

 ly built than those of 1L riparia; they do not seem to go any 

 distance for their materials, but appear to pick up anything suit- 

 able which they can find within a few rods of their habitation. 

 The nests of the two species are composed of nearly the same 

 substances, but those of H. riparia exhibit a greater variety in 

 the same nests, for, as they build in large colonies, they are 

 obliged to search for materials in different places. On one oc- 

 casion I remember finding a nest of 11. serripennis composed 

 entirely of feathers of domestic fowls. It was built in a desert- 

 ed Kingfisher's hole, in a sand bank, about fifteen rods from a 

 barn-yard, in which fowls were constantly kept. At another 

 time I found three fresh eggs lying on the bare sand ; the hole 

 was a mere pocket, barely six inches deep. In this case the fe- 

 male bird was probably under ao great a necessity that she did 

 not have time to construct a nest in the usual manner, but had 

 hastily deepened the already formed cavity. 



I have quite frequently found fresh eggs in the nests of 77. 

 serripennis, and those far advanced in incubation ; indeed, 

 have found fresh, nearly hatched eggs, and young birds, in the 

 same nest, but I have never noticed anything like this among 

 Bank Swallows, though I have searched carefully. 



In general habits the difference is perhaps less marked. The 

 Rough-wings arrive here about the 10th of April, in large num- 

 bers, full two weeks before the Bank Swallows, and are found in 

 company with 11. horreorum and 11. bicolor, playing around, 

 and chasing insects over the ponds and rivers. 



About the first of May the Bank Swallows come ; 11. serripen- 

 nis then appear to grow scarcer, and to desert the vicinity of 

 ponds and streams where there are no sand banks. During the 

 latter part of June and through July, I have often met pairs 

 of Rough-winged swallows flying steadily in a particular direc- 

 tion, one or another turning out to pursue an occasional insect, 

 but when it was captured returning to its former general 

 course, over meadows, forests and streams until lost to sight I 

 have thus met pairs at different Limes, going towards all points 

 of the compass. As they fly quite high at these times I have 

 never succeeded in killing both birds, but think the}' would 

 prove to be male and female. 



About the last of August, both this species, and 77. riparia 

 begin to migrate southward, associated with the Barn Swal- 



