282 THE ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW. 



Nest, in crevices of cliffs and shale banks, at end of tunnels in sand banks, 

 or in crannies of bridges, etc. ; made of leaves, grasses, feathers, and the like, — 

 bulky or compact according to situation. Eggs, 4-8, white. Av. size, .74 x .51 

 (18.8x13.). 



General Range. — United States at large, north to Connecticut, southern On- 

 tario, southern Minnesota, British Columbia, etc., south through Mexico to Costa 

 Rica. Breeds throughout United States range and south into Mexico. 



Range in Ohio. — Commonly distributed along streams; less common north- 

 erly. 



SCIENCE has long denied to this bird the right to shine in its own light, 

 and has always used the preceding species as a foil, or background of compari- 

 son, in describing this one. Nor is it easy to break with the precedent now 

 hoary with age. The Rough-winged Swallow is very like the Bank Swallow, 

 but it differs thus and so and so. In the first place it has those curious little 

 hooklets on the edge of the wing (specifically on the outer web of the first 

 primary) — nobody knows what they are for. They surely cannot be of assist- 

 ance in enabling the bird to cling to perpendicular surfaces, unless, indeed, it 

 be head downward — a habit which, so far as I am aware, has never been 

 observed. It is easy to see how the bird might brace its roughened wings 

 against the sides of its burrow to prevent forcible abduction, but it is not so 

 easy to see who would want to coerce the gentle creature in any such way. 



Again the Rough-winged Swallow has a steadier, rather more labored 

 flight than that of his foil. Its aerial course is more dignified, leisurely, less 

 impulsive and erratic. In nesting, altho it may include the range of the Sand 

 Martin, or even nest side by side with it, it has a wider latitude for choice and 

 is not hampered by local traditions. If it burrows in a bank it is quite as likely 

 to build near the bottom as the top. Crevices in shale walls or stone quarries, 

 crannies and abutments of bridges, or even holes in trees are utilizad. Dr. 

 Wheaton sites many instances of birds nesting about brick buildings, some of 

 which were in the busiest parts of Columbus. One guileless bird I knew ex- 

 cavated a nest in a little bank of an ungraded lot only three feet above the side- 

 walk of a prominent street in Seattle. 



Unlike the Bank Swallows the Rough-wings do not colonize to any extent, 

 but are rather solitary. A single pair may choose a site in some sheltered 

 spot of a steep shalebank far from kith or kin, or again several pairs may be 

 attracted to the same gravel pit by its easy conditions. 



Further than this the species under consideration resembles the other bird 

 quite closely in notes, in habits, and in general appearance, being distinguish- 

 able only by a sharp eye in accordance with the suggestions given above. It 

 seems certain that the habits of the species are undergoing a considerable and 



