360 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA 



Ry. Undoubtedly this bird must in cases resort, as it did previous 

 to settlement to caves and trees to nest as on several occasions it 

 was noted about our camp at dusk many miles from settlement. 

 (Atkinson.) Very rare at Aweme, Man. (Criddle.) Common at 

 Pembina, lat. 49°, and traced thence westward only to the Mouse 

 (Souris) river. (Coues.) A few seen at Indian Head, Sask., in 

 June, 1892. Two individuals seen at Edmonton, Alta., May 17th, 

 1897. (Spreadborough.) 



Breeding Notes. — ^Very common in summer, a few birds re- 

 maining until the end of September. It usually arrives from the 

 3rd to the 6th May. Its curious nest of sticks, glued together, 

 is well known. This is often placed in a disused chimney against 

 the woodwork of an empty house, and such like positions. (Rev. 

 C. J. Young.) Nest composed of small twigs of nearly uniform 

 size, which are interwoven into a neat semi-circular basket. Each 

 twig is firmly fastened to its fellow by saliva secreted by the bird. 

 Eggs five, pure white. (G. R. White.) The nest of this species is 

 occasionally found against the inner walls of outhouses and more 

 rarely in hollow trees in the woods, its former nesting place. (W. 

 E. Saunders.) 



The houses outside of the large, towns at Cape Breton are generally 

 poorly supplied with chimneys. In fact, brick chimneys are rarely 

 seen, but small stovepipes are used. Chimney swifts, which are 

 common, have therefore to adapt themselves, and I was told that 

 it is usual for them to nest in barns and sheds. At French river 

 close to the sea, I observed on August 22nd a swift flying in and out 

 of a window in a small hay barn. Inside on the end wall opposite 

 the window and close under the apex of the rafters the nest was 

 fixed and it contained the half-grown young. The nest was a 

 rather bulky affair, made of spruce twigs, and the glue-like sub- 

 stance with which the twigs were stuck together was smeared like 

 varnish on the boards above and below the nest. Below the nest 

 was a large pile of droppings, as if the place had been used for several 

 years. This accumulation was added to from time to time by the 

 young, who carefully disposed themselves so as to avoid soiling 

 the nest. When the adult bird flew in with food, chirping loudly, 

 there was a loud reply from the young. The old bird generally 

 alighted on the wall below the nest, clinging in a vertical position, 

 and later fluttered up to the edge of the nest where it fed the young. 



