The Cliff Swallows 
“republicans,” nesting in the wild along the solemn bastions of some 
river-fronting, lake-fronting, or even sea-fronting, cliff. The partic¬ 
ular nesting site may be a matter of a season’s use, populous this year 
and abandoned the next; but somewhere along this frowning face of 
granite or sandstone or basalt, Swallows were nesting before Fra Juni- 
pero Serra came to California with the touch of civilization. Soon 
after the sculptor, Ice, unveiled that masterpiece, Yosemite, these 
fly-catching cohorts must have swept into California to establish them¬ 
selves forevermore. 
Evidence of this age-long occupation of the cliffs is furnished not 
only by the muddy cicatrices left by fallen nests, but, wherever the 
wall juts out or overhangs, so as to shield a place below from the action 
of the elements, by beds of guano and coprolitic stalagmites, which cling 
to the uneven surface of the rock. Judged by the same testimony, 
certain of the larger blow-holes, or lava-bubbles, as well as under-cut 
arches of dobe, must be used at night as lodging places, at least out 
of the nesting season. 
The well-known bottle- or retort-shaped nests of the Cliff Swallow 
1 
am- m 
; • Jv' ^ ~ -fS 
Taken in Washington Photo by the Author 
526 
CLIFF DWELLERS 
