EAVB SWALLOW. 289 



ent years, as well as erratic ia their choice of a summer residence. It 

 was formerly thought they had made their appearance at a comparatively 

 late date in the Eastern United States, but it is now known that they 

 bad been seen in New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New Bruns- 

 wick, about the time they were described from the Rocky Mountains by 

 Say. Audubon states that he saw them at Newport, Kentucky, opposite 

 Cincinnati, in 1819, which is the earliest notice we have of their almost 

 certain occurrence in Ohio. Dr. Kirtland, in 1838, says that they had 

 " recently extended their settlements to several buildings in the west 

 part of the latter city. During the present summer they have built 

 their nests on a barn in the north part of Columbiana county." 



Their distribution is now general throughout the State. They are 

 always to be found in colonies during the breeding season, and build 

 their nests always on the outside of buildings, under the eaves. I have 

 seen their nests several years since under the eaves of a mill on Alum 

 Creek, near this city; under the eaves of a brick dwelling in the north- 

 east portion of this city, and on the new frame dep6t building at Georges- 

 ville, a few miles southwest. But the outside of barns is their favorite 

 location, a colony of these birds often occupying the eaves while Barn 

 Swallows inhabit the interior. I have never known them to build 

 on the same structure for more than three years successively. Whether 

 they removed simply from a desire for change, or because the locality 

 became unsuited from use for the safe fastening of their nests, I do not 

 know. I have known efforts to drive them away from a building where 

 they had located, to be long-continued and severe before they were finally 

 persuaded to go. 



This nesting on buildings, an acquired habit, exhibited to a greater 

 or less extent by all the members of the family, except the Bank Swal- 

 low, shows an appreciation of the advantages of civilization, and is 

 evidence that they possess reason as distinguished from instinct. In 

 uninhabited regions the nest is placed against a vertical or overhanging 

 rock. 



The nests of the Eave Swallow are composed entirely of mud, tempered 

 by the bill of the bird, and deposited in its position as a little pellet. 

 They are retort-shaped, the nest proper being almost closed in between 

 the lop of the wall and the projecting eave or cornice, and the opening 

 built out for several inches to form the neck of the flask or retort. 

 In the Eastern States it is said that the nest is frequently built without 

 the elongated entrance, but all the nests I have seen were uniform in, 

 possessing it. The cavity is large, and weJ lined with feathers, wool, 

 and bits of straw. The eggs are white, usually less elongated than those 

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