The IOWA ORNITHOLOGIST. 



65 



R. Ball.) "Abundant summer 

 resident, wherever suitable breed- 

 ing- places can be found. They 

 are much annoyed by the Eng-lish 

 Sparrow's taking- their breeding 

 places before they arrive. In 

 season of 1894, first one arrived 

 April 7, and last one departed 

 August 29," (H, J. Giddings, 

 Jackson, Co. ) "In Winnebag-o 

 Co. May 10, '91, building nests.. 

 In Dallas, Co. April 7, '94, 

 reported and heard. April 12, 

 first seen. April 16, very abun 

 dant. May 21, visited Martin 

 box and found several nests in- 

 complete and one with three 

 eg-gs" (J. Eugene Law.) 

 "These birds are fairly common 

 at Burling-ton and Iowa City. 

 Arrived at the latter place April 

 13, '94. They never seem to asso- 

 ciate with the rest of the family, 

 but g-ather in small flocks before 

 leading- the advance of fall 

 mig-ration. At Burlington they 

 nest almost exclusively beneath 

 the head of the electric lights; 

 building- a shallow nest of mud, 

 and straw upon the hang-ing 

 .board. Only a few nests in 

 boxes." (Paul Bartsch. ) 



"May be reg-arded as a common 

 species in Mahaska Co. thoug-h it 

 is each year becoming- scarcer. 

 The favorite site is the "Martin 

 box" that is placed for it in the 

 g-arden or on the house roof. They 

 do not successfully battle with 

 Passer domcsticus. In the fail 

 great numbers jjfather in the 



favored resorts on wind-mills, 

 telegraph wires, etc. The nests 

 are often and easily secured from 

 the boxes." (W. A.Bryan, Ma- 

 haska Co.) The Martin is a 

 universal favorite. 



612. Petrochelidon lunifrons. (Say.) 



CLIFF SWALLOWS. 



Republicans. 



"A common bird in Sioux Co, 

 Is known locally as Eave Swal- 

 low. The nest is made of mud 

 and is cone or bottle-shaped, hav- 

 ing- the opening- at the small end 

 of thi cone and with a portion of 

 the n23t projecting slightly over 

 the opening-. In the absence of 

 any hig-h cliffs, the nest is placed 

 under the eaves of a barn, or 

 other building-. 



It is rare that a nest is found 

 alone, the birds staying- in small 

 flocks and building- from two to 

 six nests in close proximity to 

 each other. Along- the Rock and 

 Big Sioux Rivers, these birds 

 build upon the faces of high per- 

 pendicular cliffs wherever these 

 may be found. Have never 

 noticed the nest of a Cliff Swal- 

 low upon a cliff, the face of 

 which was less than fifteen feet 

 hig-h. For the last three years 

 the Cliff Swallows have increased 

 rapidly and they are now fully as 

 numerous as the Barn Swallows, 

 although they seem to live in 

 harmony with each other." (Wil- 

 mon Newell. ) "Abundant breed- 



