afforded me an opportimity of observing a curious modiiication of their nesting-habits, 

 which, I believe, had not been known until I published a note upon the subject. The 

 nest was built in little holes in the perpendicular sides of a ' cut-bank,' whether dug by 

 the birds themselves or not I could not satisfy myself, though I am inclined to think 

 that they were. My assistant, Mr. Batty, seemed to feel quite confident in the matter ; 

 and the probability is, that if the holes were not wholly made by the birds, they were at 

 least fitted up for the pu.rpose." 



Mr. Hoffman writes : — " Although a species of general distribution, its occurrence 

 in many portions of Nevada has yet to be recorded. Mr. Ridgway found it most 

 abundant around Pyramid Lake, while Dr. Cooper reports its passing Fort Mojave for 

 the north during the last week in May. In the timbered hills south of Eureka, along 

 a short range of cliffs, were found great numbers of Cliff-Swallows (P. limifrons), who 

 had constructed their nests in every available spot. Specimens were noticed amongst 

 the latter supposed to be H. erythrogastra, but none were secured so as to definitely settle 

 the question." 



Throughout the greater part of the United States the Barn-Swallow appears to be a 

 plentiful summer resident and breeds everywhere, and it is very common in the Eastern 

 States, but, like most of the Swallows, is less abundant further to the northward. Thus 

 Mr. Dwight speaks of it as a fairly abundant summer visitant to the Bras D'Or region, 

 Cape Breton Island, while in Prince Edward's Island it was abundant and generally 

 distributed in summer. Messrs. Brittain and Cox state that it was rare in the Hestigouche 

 Valley, New Brunswick. 



On the Pennsylvania AUeghanies, Mr. Dwight found it common on the north 

 mountain, where several pairs were nesting in the hotel barn. In Louisiania, Mr. Coombs 

 found it fairly common only as a spring and autumn migrant. Mr. Beckham, in his 

 list of the birds of Bayou Sara, says that the Swallow was several times seen but was not 

 common. 



Although only noticed as a migrant by Mr. Scott in the Caloosahatchie region, 

 Elorida, the same observer says that on the Gulf Coast it is a common spring and very 

 abundant fall migrant. He adds that " a few are met with in warm days in the vicinity 

 of Tarpon springs. Some few breed at or near the same point. Mr. Atkins's observa- 

 tions at Punta Rassa and Key West coincide with what I have written above, except 

 that he has not observed the birds breeding, though he has seen them at Key West on 

 June 11, and again on August 6-10, in numbers." 



On the western side of North America we find that, according to Mr. Jolm Eannin, 

 the Swallow is an abundant summer resident in British Columbia, arriving at Buzzard 

 Inlet at the end of March or the beginning of April. Dr. Eobert Broun records the 

 species from Vancouver Island; and at Gray's Harbour, in Washington county, Mr. Law- 

 rence noticed the species on the 3rd of May. Mr. Anthony found it rather rare and 

 says it is only seen for a few days in spring and fall ; while at Port Klamath, Oregon, 

 Mr. Merrill speaks of it as common. 



