52 THE NIDOLOGIST 
x 
ality in eggs. A set of this bird was found 
on the ground under an oak tree, all the 
eggs of which were what are styled ‘‘runts.’’ 
Later a second set of runt eggs were found 
in almost the same spot, the presumption 
being that they were the product of the 
same pair. ‘There is apparently a chance 
for a good deal of original investigation on 
this line. 
H. R. Taytor. 
Alameda, Cal. 
— —— +--+ 
Chimney Swift Feeding its Young. 
BY O. WIDMANN. 
S Mr. W. Palmer in his article on the 
Swift (Nip. Iv., 2) wishes additional 
information regarding the feeding 
habits of the young Swifts, I have the fol- 
lowing to Offer: 
The young Swifts are blind until the roth 
day, and are therefore very helpless crea- 
tures; the growth of the bird itselfis great, 
but that ofits feathers is slow. On the 
14th day the feathers of the head are just 
sprouting, and the primaries are only half 
an inch long. During the third week their 
growth is marvelous, and this is the time 
when they are most hungry and most 
clamorous. 
As soon as the parent enters the chimney 
agrating noise is started, resembling the 
disagreeable iove-song of the male cicada, 
and it is kept up intil the parent, which at 
first alights elsewhere, begins tofeed. The 
feeding process is peculiar; the parent 
thrusts its head deep into the wide open 
mouth of the young and ejects the contents 
ofits throat with one single effort. When 
the parent arrives its throat is greatly ex- 
tended, and this extension is noticeable in 
the flying bird. After the young has 
received its dose the parent keeps sitting 
half a minute cleaning its throat by peculiar 
motions and openings of the bill, and leaves 
the chimney without removing any excreta. 
These are simply cast over the rim of the 
nest and accumulate to the amount of half 
a gallon at the end of one season, from one 
family While the Swallow feeds at all 
hours of the day and brings home insects 
much bigger than, unaided, it can swallow 
itself, the Swift always carries the food in 
the throat and feeds at intervals of half 
hours, except in the early morning and 
evening, when both parents bring food as 
fast asthey can gather it. At these times 
they do not only fill the stomach of the 
young, but givean additional dose to be 
kept in the throat for future use. 
The first two days after the eyes are open 
the young are yet drowsy and sleep a great 
deal, but have already much strength in 
the feet, and when crowded out of the nest 
cling to the wall with great tenacity. The 
feathers are pushing out fast now, and at 
the age of 17 days they are beautifully tiny 
creatures, resembling Humming birds in 
size and shape of wing and tail. In the 
cooler hours they crowd on top of each 
other in the nest, but during daytime they 
hook their way under the nest and stay 
there until evening, sitting so close together 
that they cannot be seen from above. 
The growth of their wings is now very 
fast and during the fourth week they often 
change positions, sometimes crowding so as 
to cover each other with their wings, some- 
times scattering, but they never come up 
to the mouth of the chimney. Their clamor 
is now becoming weaker and less insect- 
like. 
Within a day or two of the age of four 
weeks the young Swifts make their first 
trip, but not all leave at the same time, and 
during the fifth week they still spend much 
time inside the chimney. ‘They are not yet 
entirely independent of the care of the 
parents. The first few nights they return 
to the chimney an hour before dark and 
receive a few doses of food from their par- 
ents, and during the day one or more of 
the young are always found at home. They 
left for instance at 4:45 A. M. and returned 
already at 5:30 A. M. to rest and to be fed 
before making another, more extended, 
trip. They were never seen to receive food 
from their parents on the wing as the 
Swallows do, but after the fifth week they 
seemed to be entirely able to care tor them- 
selves, though they remained together and 
returned to the chimney quite late at night, 
even after dark, and these belated youngs- 
ters probably gave rise to the otherwise 
undeserved reputation of nocturnal habits. 
The Martins feed later in the evening 
than the Swifts, and rise quarter of an hour 
earlier from their roost than the Swift leaves 
its chimney. 
It is easy to tell the young Swifts on the 
wing from their parents. 
Old Orchard, Mo. 
RESO eae 
“‘T enclose one dollar, which I consider the best 
testimonial’’—Allen A. Bradley 
