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Notes from Field and Study 



t7S 



times. Perhaps some will be reminded of 

 the day when Carolina Paroquets were 

 casual visitors even in New York State. 



I suppose the little Parakeet was an 

 escaped cage-bird, or, possibly, one that is 

 allowed to fly at large to return at night to 

 his cage. Anyway, I have not seen him 

 since, and often wonder what became of 

 him. But nothing can blot out the picture 

 of the graceful, brilliant stranger so su- 

 perior to the vulgar curiosity of the dingy 

 Sparrows. — Tertius van Dyke, Neiv 

 York City. 



Helping Barn and Cliff Swallows 

 to Nest 



For several years the writer has spent 

 the summer on the shore of a lake in the 

 Adirondacks, where there seem to be 

 great attractions for birds of the Swallow 

 family, as Barn, Cliff, Bank, and Tree 

 Swallows all nest there in considerable 

 numbers. 



The Barn and Cliff Swallows nest side 

 by side on exteriors of buildings, frequently 

 using the remains of old nests as founda- 

 tions for those of the following year. The 

 Cliff Swallows build on old nests of Barn 

 Swallows, and vice versa. The nesting 

 habits of the two kinds seem to be similar, 

 except as to shape of nests and materials 

 of construction, the Cliff Swallows build- 

 ing the typical retort-shaped nests and not 

 using the grasses, feathers, etc., which the 

 Barn Swallows use for linings. 



After careful observation, it would seem 

 that neither kind has a dislike for painted 

 surfaces on which to build nests, but that 

 they are unable to securely attach nests to 

 painted perpendicular surfaces, when the 

 paint has been put on within one or two 

 years. When paint has been on a consider- 

 able time they are able to build nests on it 

 securely, and frequently do so. 



They are very persistent in trying to 

 build on a selected spot and will make 

 repeated efforts to do so, starting imme- 

 diately to rebuild when partially completed 

 nests have broken off and fallen to the 

 ground. 



Last summer a pair of Barn Swallows 



succeeded in building on painted surfaces 

 in a corner between two wings of a build- 

 ing, where the efforts of both Barn and 

 Cliff Swallows had been unsuccessful in 

 several previous years, though numerous 

 attempts at different times had been made 

 to build there, as the corner seemed to 

 possess peculiar attractions. The only ex- 

 planation that suggests itself for the suc- 

 cess last summer is that, in course of time, 

 some change had taken place in condition 

 of the painted surfaces. 



In early summer the immediate neigh- 

 borhood of the nests is comparatively free 

 from black-flies and mosquitoes. Believing 

 that this condition was due to the feeding 

 activities of the Swallows, an attempt was 

 made to aid and encourage them in nesting 

 by increasing the number and extent of 

 the places where they could build. In 

 places where they either did not or could 

 not build, considerable success was secured 

 by providing shelves or supports on which 

 nests could be securely started. 



A comparatively easy way of doing this 

 is to nail a piece of 2 x 4-inch scantling 

 lengthwise on the side of buildings, under 

 cover of eaves or other projections that 

 will give complete protection from rains, 

 which seems to be a necessary condition. 

 The scantling is best fastened with a wide 

 side against building and with a clearance 

 from protecting surface of about 5 inches 

 at the upper outer edge of scantling. This 

 seems to be a sufficient clearance for easy 

 approach and is perhaps more attractive 

 than a greater one. Originally a greater 

 clearance was given, but this has been 

 gradually reduced, as it seemed that the 

 Swallows preferred a location where the 

 nests were concealed as well as possible 

 from other birds in the air; perhaps, also, 

 in the case of the Cliff Swallows, where 

 the least material was necessary to build 

 nests right up to the protecting cover, 

 which they usually do when it is near. 

 Apparently a 2 x 4-inch scantling is better 

 than a 2 X 2-inch one, as the 4-inch face 

 furnishes a better brace for the tails of the 

 Swallows when they cling with their feet 

 to the side or upper edge, as they fre- 

 quently do. 



