The Nesting of B'Arn Swallows 73 



\ng rock a few feet above protected it from the rain. . . . An 

 old nest was placed a little ways from this one and in a like 

 location." 



An interesting observation on the conditions found in the 

 vicinity of Philadelphia 150 years ago is contained in Kalm's 

 Ornithological Observations — Trotter in the Auk, 1903. The 

 following is quoted from this article : 



"They (Barn Swallows) build their nests in houses, 

 and under the roofs on the outside ; I likewise found their 

 nests built on mountains and rocks whose top projected 

 beyond the bottom ; they build, too, under the corners of 

 perpendicular rocks ; and this shows where the Szcal- 

 lozvs made their nests, before the Europeans settled 

 and built houses here ; for it is well known that the 

 huts of the Indians could not serve the purpose of the 

 swallows." 



The accompanying photograph of two Barn Swallows' 

 nests was taken at Maple Bluft" on Lake Mendota, Madison, 

 Wisconsin, in 1915. Nesting of the swallows at this place 

 was observed on July 11, when a nest containing three young 

 was found. Another visit was made the following day to 

 secure a photograph, but the young had left the nest. Two 

 more nests were found during this visit. The nests were 

 placed about eight feet above the water and were well pro- 

 tected from above by the overhanging sandstone cliff. The 

 photograph was made during the winter — when the ice gave 

 better opportunities to set up a tripod. 



The nest shown on the left in the picture contained seven 

 eggs when found. The usual clutch of the Barn Swallow 

 appears to consist of only four or five eggs. Perhaps, along 

 with its preference for a lake^shore home-site, this bird mav 

 have inherited some old fashioned notions in regard to the 

 size of its family. 



