24 



" Within my collecting-grounds is a locality where numbers of these birds have 

 nested for many years. This is a shed, open only on one side, where the birds have 

 attached their nests to the sleepers of the loft. In the spring of 1878, they returned 

 about the usual time, and soon began repairing old nests or constructing new ones. One 

 day while watching them, I noticed one bird remained in her half-finished nest, and did 

 not appear to be much engaged. Soon a neighbour, owning a nest a few feet away, 

 arrived with a fresh pellet of clay, and adjusting it in a satisfactory manner, flew away 

 for more. No sooner was she out of sight than the quiet bird repaired to the neighbour's 

 nest, appropriated the fresh clay and moulded it to her own nest ! When the plundered 

 bird returned, no notice was taken of the theft, which was repeated as soon as she was 

 again out of sight. I saw these movements repeated numerous times, but was called 

 away, and when I again returned both nests were completed. 



" In the same place a nest remained undisturbed, and was occupied by probably the 

 same pair of birds for several seasons. This spring they returned to the old nest, and all 

 appeared prosperous, until one day I noticed a number of Swallows engaged in walling 

 up the entrance of this old nest. This, and the outline of a new nest over the old, was 

 soon completed. I then broke open the closed nest and found within the dead body of 

 a Swallow. This bird had probably died a natural death, and the friends, being unable 

 to remove the body, and knowing it would soon become offensive, adopted this method 

 of sealing it up." 



The descriptions are taken from the British Museum ' Catalogue ; ' and the figures 

 are drawn from specimens sent to us by Dr. A. K. Fisher, of Sing Sing, N. Y. 



