inches from the entrance. Its distance from the ground or water varies considerably in this case accord- 

 ing to the opportunities afforded by the site, usually it is as low as the locality will permit. I have 

 taken the nest within three feet of the ground within the city limits of Circleville, and, again, I have 

 observed them nesting under the sills of a third story window. 



MATERIALS: 



The room at the end of the burrow is from four to six inches in diameter, and its floor is slightly 

 concave. Upon this is usually arranged in a loose manner a layer of straws, weed-stems, and various 

 kinds of large feathers. A nest taken May 6, 1880, contained a few straws and a layer of large, white 

 feathers from the breast of the tame goose; upon this the eggs rested. Another, taken April 28, 1880, 

 contained straws and chicken's feathers. Another, taken May 14, 1883, contained straws, weed-stems, 

 and two small feathers. Nearly every nest which I have examined contained an abundance of soft 

 feathers for a lining. Nests in any of the other positions named, differ but little, if any, from the nest 

 in a burrow. The entrance to the nest when formed by the birds is seldom round, being somewhat wider 

 than high, and upon the whole, larger than that of the Bank Swallow. 



EGGS: 



The complement of eggs is usually five for the first set and one less for the second set. Occasionally 

 six eggs complete the first laying. The shell is pure white, unmarked, and, although quite fragile, is 

 considerably thicker and stronger than that of the Bank Swallow's egg. In long diameter these eggs 

 vary from .68 to .76, and in short-diameter, from .50 to .51. A common size is about .52 x .69. A set 

 of five eggs measures respectively .53 x .69, .52 x .75, .52 x .70, .51 x .69, and .51 x .69. 



DIFFERENTIAL POINTS: 



See "White-bellied Swallow/' 



REMARKS : 



Fig. 2, Plate LX represents the ordinary variations in the size and shape of the eggs of the species 

 under consideration. The two middle eggs show the commonest forms. 



The Rough-winged Swallow is a very plentiful species in Ohio, especially in the central portion of 

 the State along the large rivers and creeks. I have found their nests along the Scioto River alongside 

 those of the Bank Swallow, the two species being apparently very friendly. Although several pairs of 

 these Swallows may build their nests neighboring each other, they do not seem to form a close colony 

 like the Bank Swallows. I have seldom seen half a dozen nests in the same masonry or side by side in 

 a bank. Yet in half a mile of shore along the above mentioned stream, from twenty to thirty isolated 

 nests can usually be found. From this I infer that these bh'ds have not the disposition to colonize, so 

 strongly marked in most of the Swallows. The Spring and Summer freshets destroy large numbers 

 of nests, eggs, and young birds. A rise of fifteen feet in the streams along which these Swallows breed, 

 will generally flood nine-tenths of their nests, and with the most disastrous results. When their nests are 

 disturbed by man they show great anxiety and fly about the head of the intruder in a threatening man- 

 ner. Often the female will remain on her nest until the earth is dug away so that she is exposed to 

 view. I have twice captured the mother-bird in my hand, she seeming to be willing to take any risk 

 rather than leave her prospective young. In the fall after the last brood of young is able to fly, these 

 Swallows collect in large flocks, and, some days previous to their departure, hundreds may be seen in the 

 air hunting over the water and the adjoining fields. 



222 



