9 



With regard to its appearance in Idalio, Dr. Hart Merriam says : — " Mr. Bailey saw 

 one near the foot of the Black-foot Movintains, July 12, and found a pair breeding- at the 

 ranche at Big Butte. A few were seen nearly every day in August in Birch Creek and 

 Lehmi Valleys. They breed at Scott's ranche, near Nicholia, and at the Lehmi Indian 

 Agency. During the early part of July, 1872, I found Barn-Swalloffs in great numbers 

 at Fort Hall." 



Professor Coues writes : — " The Barn-Swallow occurs throughout the Missouri re^-ion, 

 especially during the migrations, and breeds in suitable localities, although it is much 

 less numerous than it is in most wooded and settled parts of the country. It appears to 

 withdraw altogether from the United States in winter, though a few Swallows are usuallv 

 among the earliest arrivals, in southern portions, even in February. Their great powers 

 of flight enable them to pass rapidly from one country to another, according to the 

 exigencies of the weather." 



Mr. Henshaw says : — " The Barn-Swallow has a very general distribution throuo-hout 

 the middle region, but it appears to be nowhere very common. Specimens were secured 

 both in Nevada and Utah at various points, most in close vicinity of settlements, where, 

 secure in the protection of man, it builds its nest under the roofs and in the outbuildings. 

 Individuals of the species were quite numerous at Fort Garland, Colorado, and Santa Fe, 

 New Mexico, and also on the road between here and Fort Wingate, where they were seen 

 by Mr. Newberry. This is the most southern point at which we have seen it. It has 

 been detected in Arizona only at Fort Mojave by Dr. Cooper." 



Dr. Cooper's note on the species in California is as follows : — " This well-known and 

 beautiful bird is less abundant along the western than the eastern coast, its place being 

 filled in great part by the H. lunifrons, and perhaps also because it does not find so many 

 suitable places for building in. As settlements multiply they seem to be gradually 

 increasing about farms near the coast, building in the barns, and living in perfect harmony 

 with their cousins, which build under the eaves. In wild districts they build in caves, 

 which abound in the bluffs along the sea-shore, from San Diego to the Columbia 

 River. 



" Their nest is built of mud, plastered up against a rafter, or on some supporting 

 shelf; it is cup-shaped, and lined with fine hay. The saliva of the bird is supposed to 

 render the pellets of mud more adhesive. The eggs are five, white spotted with reddish 

 brown, and they usually raise two broods in a season, but often leave the last to starve, 

 in their sudden departure south in August or September. 



"I noticed their arrival at San Diego, March 25th, and have fouud llicni far more 

 frequent along the sea-coast than inland, probably from the fact tliat they preler the 

 vicinity of water, and delight to hunt insects over its surface, soun'linu's even loucliiug 

 it as they skim along. At Sacramento they were fmnul liy Dr. I Icciinaun. and I liavo 

 seen them near there as late as September 8th. They arrived al Sania Cniz .March iMsl, 

 186G, shoAving a remarkable regularity in com})arisi)u wilii fs(;2, though llie ialler was 

 a much colder spring. They left Santa Cruz about September 1.")tli."" 



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