152 Bird -Lore 



The young remained in the nest from twenty-one to twenty-four days; 

 nor did they leave the nest altogether for some days after. The first flight lasted 

 not over an hour, and for from two to five nights afterward they slept in the 

 nest with one of the parent birds. While the young were away on these trial 

 flights, the nest was guarded by a parent bird. The last young bird left its 

 nest on July 25, and the last of the colony left the neighborhood on July 27. 



Cliff Swallows have a habit of hanging half-way out of the nests, at times, 

 before flying, and this position was assumed by the young birds two or three 

 days before they made their first launch into the air. They also were seen to 

 try their wings in the nests. 



We are certain that not more than twenty-six birds were raised in this 

 colony where forty-one nests were begun. The number in a nest varied from 

 one to three. We are certain that two nests had three birds, three nests had 

 two birds, and three nests had but one bird each. 



The markings of the young birds are indistinct; they are chiefly different 

 shades of a smoky gray, and the forehead is a very dull, ashy white. 



We regret that our data are not more precise, but we were unwilling to 

 destroy nests in order to count eggs. The nests were almost inaccessible, 

 being thirty feet from the ground. Most of our observations were made from 

 a building at right angles with the barn, with a window on a level wnth the 

 lower edge of the north eave. But few nests could be seen from this point. 

 One nest near the window (finished June 7) had been selected for special obser- 

 vation, but it fell June 19; we were unable to find anything of its contents 

 in the tafl grass below. The exceptionally hot and dry season may account 

 for the early falling of so many nests. 



