OLD CROW 213 



choice of unsuitable material or situation. Progress was slow, but 

 eventually about a hundred nests were completed on various buildings. 



On June 14 a female was found to have laid an egg. On June IT 

 one nest contained four slightly incubated eggs, the first of which 

 would have been laid about June 9, and another five fresh eggs, the 

 laying of which would have started a few days later. At this date 

 many nests were still uncompleted, and laying probably extends 

 through June. 



At several clifFs along the River, colonies of swallows were found 

 nesting. The nests were usually concentrated on firm rock faces. 

 In a few sites the droppings of swallows, accumulated in stalagmites, 

 showed the length of the nests' occupation. 



In the villages people often destroy the nests and sometimes block 

 the approach to the site with wire. Then the determination of the 

 birds is increased and for several days they may mill about trying to 

 replace the destruction or to evade the obstacle. The destruction of 

 nests is not wanton but because the droppings smear the windows, 

 assault the person and the birds are reputed to bring noxious vermin 

 unpleasant for man, a fair indictment since they are unnaturally using 

 our habitations. 



On three cliffs extensively used by swallows, peregrines were seen 

 at nesting time. At one cliff where a peregrine was sitting on her 

 eggs a swallow's nest was within 100 feet, and over 100 nests were 

 within 200 yards. A peregrine's perch with abundant guano to show 

 its long use was within 6 feet of a cluster of nests, near which swallow 

 guano also showed their long use. We observed these in winter and 

 did not actually see the predator and swallow in such close proximity, 

 but during June, when we passed the cliffs, the swallows and their 

 nests showed no signs of disturbance. 



Cliff swallows nest across the wooded part of arctic Alaska, for 

 I have found them common along Koyukuk River and they are 

 known at Kobuk, but specimens are not available for identifying 

 the race in interior arctic Alaska. 



In spring migrating cliff swallows move more rapidly northward 

 in the far west than in the east and at a much accelerated pace 

 through British Columbia, reaching far higher latitudes in Alaska 

 and Yukon than in the rest of Canada (Lincoln, 1952). Their 

 arrival at Atlin, B. C, was reported on May 21, 1934 (Swarth, 1936), 

 and at Peace River, Mackenzie, on May 20 (Bent, 1942). Our swal- 

 lows could have arrived by any course between these localities but 

 probably not from east of the Mackenzie River. 



The Indian name for this bird is Shattso. 



