The Birds of El Paso County, Colorado 521 



They were not in a flock, but came along in a scattering fash- 

 ion, by ones, twos, threes or more. 



August 4, 11 and 18, 1912, a Nighthawk was seen in 

 Monument Valley Park, always on the same place on a cer- 

 tain limb or a Cottonwood, presumably its regular roost dur- 

 ing the day. The tree was on the bank of the creek, and not 

 far from a walk which was quite constantly used. June 2, 

 1913, a Nighthawk was seen on the same high limb, probably 

 the same bird returned for the summer. Because of absence 

 from home no further observations were made until late in 

 July, when nothing was seen of the bird, but during the sum- 

 mer men were working on the creek bank close by and no 

 doubt disturbed the bird so that it abandoned the place. 



Aeronautes melanoleucus. White-throated Swift. 



Summer resident ; locally common. Begin to come the 

 last of March, Brewster and Allen having noted it March 

 24, 1882, but probably the main body comes early in April. 

 Departs the middle or latter part of September, the 18th of 

 that month being the latest date we have. 



"Observed only at the Garden of the Gods, where many 

 pairs were breeding, though sought for at Castle Rocks and 

 other similar places. They breed in holes and crevices in the 

 rocks, usually far above gunshot. They seemed very shy. 

 and flew mostly near the tops of the highest rocks. Upon 

 ascending the rocks most frequented by them they moved to 

 other points, and thus managed to keep generally out of range. 

 By spending a considerable part of two days, we procured only 

 four specimens, though several others were killed, which fell 

 in inaccessible places. They fly with great velocity and are very 

 tenacious of life. As they swoop down to enter their nests, 

 the rushing sound produced by their wings can be heard to 

 a considerable distance. Hirundo thallassina (i.e. T. t. lepida) 

 was also breeding here in similar situations." Allen, 1872. 



