Relation of Summer Birds to Western Adirondack Forest 455 



ing themselves to flocks gradually enlarging in the chosen roosting- 

 places until the time for the autumnal departure southward. 



Tree Swallow. Iridoprocne bicolor (Vieill.) 



Length 6. Steel-blue or steel-green above ; white below. 



The Swallow is always associated with tall dead timber on the 

 margins of lakes, ponds, or inlets, or in a burn. As it nests most 

 frequently in woodpecker holes in dead stubs and snags, it finds 

 many places inviting its presence throughout the Adirondacks. It 

 may regularly be noted coursing over the clearings, burns and 

 ponds, in its ceaseless quest for insects in company with the Chimney 

 Swift or Bank Swallow, and sometimes gleans in the dooryard re- 

 gardless of other occupants. 



Barn Swallow. Hirundo erythrogastra Bodd. 



Length 7. Above, blue-black ; forehead and upper breast chestnut ; 

 belly paler; tail deeply forked. 



The Barn Swallow chooses a combination of still water and pas- 

 tureland over which it can quarter in persistent evolutions. These, 

 and a building made for domestic animals, will influence it to estab- 

 lish itself locally for the summer. It was seen by me at Wanakena 

 and at Cranberry Lake village but not at Barber Point, yet its distri- 

 bution in the Adirondacks is very general. Its nests of mud, straw 

 and feathers are always placed inside the barn chosen, and its elon- 

 gated white eggs are marked with red about the larger end. 



* Cliff Swallow. Petrochelidon lunifrons lunifrons (Say) 



The Cliff Swallow was not observed by me at Cranberry Lake in 

 1916. Merriam ('81, p. 229) reports that it "breeds at suitable 

 localities in the Adirondacks." Roosevelt, Jr., and Minot {'77, p. 

 2) mention it as occurring near Malone. Eaton ('14, p. 345) says 

 that " in New York it is known locally throughout the State, but in 

 many sections where it was very common 40 years ago it has almost 

 entirely disappeared. At the present time it seems to be commonest 

 in the Catskill and Adirondack districts and other sparsely inhabited 

 sections of the State." It much resembles the Barn Swallow, but 

 has a reddish buff patch on the rump, and a square-ended tail. Its 

 nests are the flask-shaped structures glued under the eaves on the 

 outside of farm buildings, hence it is commonly called Eave Swallow. 



Scarlet Tanager. Piranga crythromelas Vieill. 



Length 7.5. Male, scarlet, with black wings and tail ; female and young 

 olive-green, with brown wings and tail. 



Where tall hardwoods stand in illuminated patches (the so-called 

 hardwood ridges) or along the borders of timber broken by streams 

 and shores, there the Scarlet Tanager sines in the leafy canopy and 

 makes its summer home. It loves the sunlight, and can be seen most 

 frequently in an open tree top. either uttering its nervous, impatient 

 songs or its chip-chiiur call to its mate. The singing of the Scarlet 

 Tanager is so close an imitation of the Robin's that many persons 



