Bulletin No. 16. 63 



though this species may have been here previously I never noted it till this 

 year. It was common in places and, roughly speaking, I must have seen 

 four hundred. I counted forty along the creek one evening. I think 

 this bird breeds in California, for I believe some young were taken in 

 El Dorado or Placer County in the high Sierras. 



H. W. Carriger, Sonoma, Calif. 



On June 8, 1896, I flushed a Mourning Dove from a nest seven feet 

 from the ground on a grape vine which was growing over a small dead 

 willow. It was composed of dry sticks, weed stalks, grass and a cotton- 

 wood leaf, and contained three eggs, Two of these were heavily incu- 

 bated while the other was perfectly fresh. The above notes were taken 

 on Bear Creek about ten miles from Denver, Col. 



A. S. Pearse, Lincoln, Neb. 



THE SWALLOWS. 



Work is progressing rapidly on the Swallow report. The season has 

 closed in the north, but further south the swallows still remain. Work 

 up your notes while the matter is fresh in your minds. I wish all matter 

 in before November 1, that I may have time to arrange it. As a last 

 appeal I ask you as a friend and fellow worker to help me. It is impos- 

 sible for me to call on you personally ; in fact life is too short to visit all 

 the ornithologists even had I the means. Please sit right down and tell 

 me all you know about the Swallows. Don't use postals. 



Ask all your friends to tell you something of the Swallows. What 

 species have they observed ? etc. I append a list of questions to aid you. 

 What species have you ever observed ? State places of observation if 

 other than your present residence. What species breed ? About what 

 number, and the location of nest ? When arrive and depart ? How 

 long incubating and rearing young ? Number, color and size of eggs ? 

 When, where and how fed, and of what does food consist ? By this I 

 mean do they feed at all hours and all seasons in the same manner or 

 differently. What can you tell me in regard to the nesting boxes for 

 White-bellied Swallow and Purple Martin ? How should they be con- 

 structed ? You should copy from others giving credit to the author each 

 time. I cannot consult all the old magazines, so I ask you to give definite 

 reference to any thing you think will interest me. If you cannot answer 

 more than one question do that at once. 



