432 OBSTINACY OP THE CRESCENT SWALLOW 



lows have taken to building under eaves, or other projections 

 affording a degree of shelter, the bottle-necked, even the 

 simply globular nests, seem to be going out of fashion ; and 

 thousands of nests are now built as open as those of the Barn 

 Swallow, being simply half-cups attached to the wall, and in 

 fact chiefly distinguished from those of Barn Swallows by 

 containing little or no hay. 1 suppose this to be a piece of 

 atavism — a reversion to primitive ways. The Barn and Eave 

 Swallows are our only kinds that do not go into a hole or its 

 equivalent; and the indication of shelter or covering, in all 

 cases indispensable, being secured by the roof itself beneath 

 which they nestle, the special roofing of each nest becomes 

 superfluous. Hence the open cups these Swallows now con- 

 struct. 



Considering how sedulously most birds strive to hide their 

 nests, and screen themselves during incubation, it becomes a 

 matter of curious speculation why these Swallows should ever 

 build beneath our eaves, in the most conspicuous manner, and 

 literally fly in the face of danger. Eichardson comments on 

 this singular and excessive confidence in man, too often 

 betrayed, and which cannot, on the whole, be conducive to the 

 best interests of their tribe. He speaks of a colony that per- 

 sisted in nesting just over a frequented promenade, where they 

 had actually to graze people's heads in passing to and from 

 their nests, and were exposed to the curiosity and depredations 

 of the children; yet they stuck to their first choice, even 

 though there were equally eligible and far safer locations just 

 at hand. Sir John wonders what cause could have thus sud- 

 denly called into action such confidence in the human race, 

 and queries what peculiarity of economy leads some birds to 

 put their ofispring in the most exposed situation they can find. 

 We have all seen the same thing, and noted the pertinacity 

 with which these and other Swallows will cling to their 

 caprices, though subjected to every annoyance, and repeat- 

 edly ejected from the premises by destruction of their nests. 

 I have two notable cases in mind. At Port Pembina, Dakota, 

 a colony insisted on building beneath the low portico of the 

 soldiers' barracks, almost within arm's reach. Being noisy and 

 untidy, they were voted a nuisance, to be abated, but it was 

 "no use"; they stuck, and so did their nests. In the adjoining 

 British province of Manitoba, at one of the trading-posts I 

 visited, it was the same thing over again; their nests were 



