352 NORTH AMEIUCAN JJIKDS. 



tlioir huii'OMs. Ill Arizoim, lU'covdiii^- to ]^r. Coiios, tlicy aro suininer resi- 

 dents, broeiliiig al)iiiiiliiiitly, arriving hile in April ami remaining until iiearly 

 tiie last of Supteiiil )('!■. 



At Kagle I'ass, Mr. Dnssser met these birds, arriving from the Soiitli, on 

 tlie 2 1st of Fcliruary. Tiieiv, and also at .San Antonio, they were very com- 

 mon, liiccdiiig in tlie towns, malving their nests under the eaves and in holes 

 ill tlie old walls, de]tositiiig their eggs by the 25th of Ajnil. Dr. Kennerly 

 also foMiid this Swallow very abundant along the Colorado IJiver in Febru- 

 ary. Its lliglit si'emed to him to he like that of the common IJarii Swallow. 

 Dr. Ilceiiiiaiiii frcMiuently met Milii lliis species during the journey from the 

 junction of the (iila and Colorado liivers through Mexico, New Mexico, and 

 Texas, to San Antonio. In the latter jdace lie ibund them breeding almcst 

 entirely in crevices in the walls of houses. 



In the vicinity of Washington, Dr. Coues found this Swallow a summer 

 resident, but rather rare, arriving in the third week of April, and leaving 

 about the middle of Seitteiuber. 



Mr. Itidgway speaks of this bird as one of the most abundant Swallows 

 of the West, inhabiting the river valleys, and breeding in holes in the banks 

 of the rivers. He .siys that in Soutliern Illinois it is much more abundant 

 than the 0. riparUt, though both nest in the same banks. 



This sjiecies was first found breeding in Carlisle, reiin., by Professor Kaird, 

 in the summer of \SA?>. The following year I visited this locality early in 

 June, and had an o])])ortunity to study its habits during its breed ing-.seasoii. 

 AVe found the bird rather cominoii, and examined a number of their nests. 

 Koiie that we met with were in places that had been excavated by the birds, 

 although the ju'evious season several had been found that had apparently 

 been excavated in banks in the same manner with the Uank Swallow. All 

 the ucsts (seven in iiumber) tliat wo then met with were in situations acci- 

 dentally adajited to their need, and all were directly over running water. 

 Some were constructed in crevices between the stones in the walls and arches 

 of bridges. In several instances the nests were luit little above the surface 

 of the stream. In one, the lirst hiyiiig had been flooded, and the eggs chilled. 

 The liirds had constructed another nest aV)ove the first one, in which were 

 six fresh eggs, as many as in the other. One nest had been built between 

 the stones of the wall that funned one of the sides of the Hume of a mill. 

 Two feet above it was a freijueiited footpath, and, at the same distance below, 

 the water of the mill-stream. Another ne.st was between the boartls of a 

 small building in which revolved a water-wheel. The entrance to it was 

 throiigli a knot-hole in the outer partition, and the nest rested on a small 

 rafter between the outer and tin; inner boardings. 



The nests were similar in their construction to those of the Bank Swal- 

 low, composed of dry grasses, straws, and leaves, and lined with a few feathers ; 

 but a much greater amount of material was maele use of, owing, perhaps, to 

 the exposed positions in which they were built. 



