118 BIRDS OF OHIO. 



ing twilight, when it may be seen leisurely flitting about in 

 crazy fashion gathering its harvest of flying insects, with an 

 occasional quick dart here or there after some larger and 

 quicker prey. It is strictly migratory, reaching our southern 

 border about the first of May, and the lake shore a week lat- 

 er; departing southward again about the middle of Septem- 

 ber. It is thus a little later in appearing and a little earlier 

 in leaving than Whip-poor-will. 



In northern Ohio, at least, it seems to nest preferably on 

 the tops of our taller city buildings. I have yet to learn of 

 a nest that has been found in the woods within thirty miles 

 of Cleveland. 



The Whip-poor-will and Nighthawk take up the destruc- 

 tion of insects where the swallows and flycatchers leave it. 

 We could wish there were more of all kinds of insect eaters, 

 particularly those which feed at night. 



Suborder CYPSELI. Swifts, 



Family MICROPODID^. Swifts. 



160. (433.) Ch^tura pelagica (Linn.). 137. 

 Chimney Swift. 



Synonyms: Hirundo pelasgia, H. pelagica, Cypselus pelasgius, 

 Chaetura pelasgica. 

 Chimney Swallow, Common Swift, Swift. 

 Wilson, Am. Orn., V, 1812, 48. 



This familiar bird is pronounced abundant over the entire 

 state. It nests in the smaller chimneys, and roosts in com- 

 munities in the larger chimneys. I find no records of nest- 

 ing in hollow trees. Dr. Wheaton speaks of the probabili- 

 ty that a few pairs nested in an old hollow tree three miles 

 east of Columbus, prior to 1882. 



The Swifts reach Ohio about the middle of April, and 

 seem to distribute themselves pretty generally at once. Mi- 

 -gration dates for the southern and northern counties do not 

 differ materially. They do not leave the vicinity of Oberlin 

 •until mid-October, sometimes lingering well into the third 

 week. 



