406 University of California Puhlications in Zoology. [Vol. 7 



barn at that place. Here they entered the open carriage house, 

 and had built nests on the cross-beams of the same, the nests 

 being placed in a way which is rather unusual for cliff swallows, 

 namely, on the upper surface of the beams. 



Cliff swallows were nesting in numbers in the sides of Virgin 

 Creek gorge through the wall of Virgin Valley. 



Hirundo erjrthrogastra Boddaert 

 American Barn Swallow 



Distribution. — Observed at Tregaskis Well, Quinn River 

 Crossing, Big Creek Ranch, and Alder Creek Ranch. 



Habits. — Barn swallows were not so common as the cliff 

 swallows, but small numbers were ordinarily to be seen flying 

 about the ranch houses. Ridgway (1877, p. 441) remarks their 

 lesser numbers as compared with the cliff swallows, and notes 

 that they inhabit similar situations. 



They seem very solicitous for the welfare of their mates. 

 If anything happens to one, the other circles about in an agi- 

 tated manner and does not leave the vicinit.y for some time. 



In our experience these birds alight more often than do the 

 cliff swallows. The latter are very seldom seen at rest, except 

 at the openings of their nests, but the barn swallows are often 

 observed perching on fence wires. 



The swallows have several call-notes ; one is a kind of whistle, 

 another a continuous twittering. When one approaches the 

 nesting sites the birds fly about very excitedly, giving voice to 

 a note which may be transcribed as a "tweet! tweet! tweet!" 

 somewhat resembling the note of the spotted sandpiper. 



On May 31 barn swallows were found nesting at Quinn River 

 Crossing both on Mr. Payne's residence and under a bridge. 

 At Big Creek Ranch June 14 three were observed possibly going 

 through copulatory antics. Two individuals would come together 

 in air from time to time and fall about a foot before separating 

 or recovering themselves. Toward the last of July, at Big Creek 

 Ranch, young birds were out and imperiously demanding food, 

 uttering a note somewhat resembling a call-note of the Audubon 

 \varl)ler. 



