General Notes 89 



shed, and I hoped they would raise a brood of young, but for some 

 reason, after occupying their nest a short time, they abandoned it. 

 A pair of House Wrens nested in a box on the outside of the shed, 

 and they might have punctured some of the swallow's eggs, caus- 

 ing them to leave, or they might have been frightened away, as 

 there was much weighing done on the scales below their nest. Af- 

 ter the swallows had left, their nest was examined and one unfer- 

 tile egg was found in it. 



The third pair arrived about the middle of June, and for several 

 days were seen examining all the buildings about the place, look- 

 ing for a nesting site. They finally selected an old chicken house 

 in which to build their nest. Over the door of the chicken house 

 there is a large opening, which is left open during the summer, 

 and through which the swallows passed. The site of the nest was 

 in the top where the rafters meet, about fifteen feet from the 

 ground. Every evening, when gathering the chicken eggs, I would 

 look up to see how the swallows were progressing with the build- 

 ing of their nest. On June 29 I saw that the nest was done. The 

 next evening, when looking up at the nest, it appeared as if one 

 of the swallows was clinging to the under side of the nest, but on 

 looking closer I saw that the swallow was free from the nest and 

 dangling in the air below it. I then knew that the swallow was 

 tangled up in the nesting material, but hoped that it might yet be 

 alive. I quickly procured a ladder and on it climbed to the nest. 

 My hopes were in vain, as when the nest was reached the swallow, 

 a beautiful male, was already dead. In building their nest the 

 swallows had used much horse hair for nesting material, and with 

 one of these the swallow had accidentally hung itself. One end of 

 a long hair was wrapped around its neck twice, and also around 

 one wing; the other end was plastered into the nest, a strong pull 

 being necessary to get it loose. I thought surely the female swal- 

 low would leave after such a tragedy, but a few days later was 

 surprised to see her sitting on the nest. I also saw her flying 

 about with another swallow, but do not know whether it was a 

 new mate, or if the one that hung itself belonged to another pair. 

 Every evening, when I entered the chicken house, she would leave 

 her nest and fly out. This was kept up until July 24, after which 

 date she was never seen on her nest, or in the chicken house. The 

 nest was examined on August 19, when one unfertile egg was found 

 in it. 



The swallows, after leaving, or being driven from their nests, 

 could be seen nearly every day flying over the fields and meadows 

 catching flies. During September, a few weeks before departing 

 for their winter homes, they would come into the barn yard every 



