Nests in Buildings, Bridges, Walls, Etc. 



The eggs are laid in a deep hole made by the bird ; it some- 

 times is as much as eight or nine feet, though usually not more 

 than about four feet in depth ; this is generally excavated in a bank 

 of sand, gravel, or earth, rarely in a cliff; it often takes the bird 

 two weeks to make the hole. The nest is occasionally made of 

 grass, though the eggs are more frequently deposited on the 

 ground among bones and refuse ejected by the parent bird. 



The eggs are white, and number from 5"to 7 and sometimes 

 8. Size — 1.^5 X 1.05. 



This is the only representative of the kingfisher family found 

 in the Eastern States ; he may be seen along the . banks of a 

 stream or river or pond, but lacking confidence in man, he will 

 not admit of a near approach. 



The breeding season begins the first "week in May, and 

 probably only one set of eggs is laid. 



420. Nighthawk: Chordeiles virginianus (Gmel.) 



Eggs olive, buff, or light gray, with numerous specks and 

 blotches of darker gray, olive and purplish, sometimes spots of 

 dark purplish gray evenly distributed. 



See Page ^9, Chapter I. 



423. Chimney Swift: Chimney Swallow: Chsetura 

 pelagica (Linn.) 



Adult — Dull grayish brown; the stiffened shafts of the tail 

 feathers extend about half an inch beyond the vanes. Length 



Breeding Range — Throughout the Eastern States. 



The nest is formed entirely of short sticks, fastened together 

 and to the support with a glutinous substance from the birds' 

 salivary glands (which shrink after the breeding season), and is 

 nearly always placed in a chimney that is not in use ; probably in 

 more remote districts the nest is still built in hollow trees, as in 

 former times, before chimneys were to be found throughout the 

 country. 



The eggs are white, and number from 4 to 6. Size — 

 .80X.50. 



84 



