178 LIFE HISTORIES OF NOBTH AMEBIC AN BIRDS. 



In a letter from Dr. William L. Ralph, dated San Mateo, Florida, May 19, 

 1895, lie says: "One of my men brought me the eggs of a Chimney Swift that 

 he said he took from a nest attached to the sides of a well, 4 feet below the sur- 

 face of the ground. He says they often nest in such places in this vicinity." 

 I consider this as a very unusual nesting site for this species. 



The Chimney Swift is both diurnal and crepuscular in its habits, and spends 

 a good deal of time on the wing. In appearance while flying it resembles a bat 

 more than a bird, and its long, attenuated, saber-shaped wings look entirely 

 out of proportion to its short, stubby body. During the mating season the 

 Chimney Swift is particularly active, and small parties may be seen chasing 

 each other throughout the day, and even after the birds are paired they are 

 nearly always seen in parties of three or more, pursuing each other in a good- 

 natured way, uttering at the same time almost continuously their twittering 

 and sharp-sounding call notes of ''zig-zig," or "tzig-tzig," rapidly repeated for 

 minutes at a time. Few birds appear to be more sociable and more devoted 

 to each other than the Chimney Swift, and as they consume an immense 

 number of insect pests, and do absolutely no harm, they deserve our fullest 

 protection. Their food consists entirely of insects, such as small beetles, flies, 

 mosquitoes, etc. 



Mr. Otto Widmann, of Old Orchard, Missouri, who is well known as one 

 of our most painstaking and reliable ornithologists and a close observer, has 

 kindly furnished me with the following observations on the nesting habits of 

 this species. He writes: 



"On the flat roof of my tower I set up a wooden shaft, 18 inches square 

 and 6 feet high, for Swifts. It was ready for occupancy April 18, 1891, and was 

 entered by a Swift the next day. I had the pleasure of seeing one pair build a 

 nest and raise a brood in the shaft in 1891 and again in 1892. My experience, 

 thus restricted to two seasons, is too limited to be of much value, but some 

 points are so much at variance with current statements that I consider them 

 worthy of your notice. 



"It is stated that the Swift makes two broods south of Pennsylvania. This 

 is very improbable, since the successful rearing of a brood of Swifts takes not 

 less than two months, which is much longer than the authors who make the 

 statement allow for the process. 



"Although the first Swifts appear in our latitude (38° 40') as early as the 

 beginning of April, and are seen to pair and select a chimney soon after their 

 arrival, the species is too much dependent on continuously warm weather for a 

 regular food supply to begin nest building before the second week in May. 



"Nest building, too, takes more time than is generally supposed. Many 

 birds can build in rainy weather; some even choose such times, and one reason 

 for the preference of the early morning hours for building is certainly the cir- 

 cumstance that most of the material used has the necessary pliability only when 

 in a moist state With our Swift it is quite different; he can not proceed with 

 his structure while the atmosphere remains saturated with moisture; his secre- 



