10 
QUARTERLY BULLETIN, 
The nests of H» serripennis are generally much more careless- 
ly built than those of H, riparia; they do not seem to go any 
distance for their materials, but appear to pick up anything suit- 
able which the}’’ can find within a few rods of their habitation. 
The nests of the two species are composed of nearly the same 
substances, but those of B. riparia exhibit a greater variety in 
the same nests, for, as they build in large colonies, they are 
obliged to search for materials in different places. On one oc- 
casion I remember finding a nest of H, serripennis composed 
entirely of feathers of domestic fowls. It was built in a desert- 
ed Kingfisher’s hole, in a sand bank, about fifteen rods from a 
barn-yard, in which fowls were constantly kept. At another 
time I found three fresh eggs lying on the bare sand ; the hole 
was a mere pocket, barely six inches deep. In this case the fe- 
male bird was probably under so great a necessity that she did 
not have time to construct a nest in the usual manner, but had 
hastily deepened the already formed cavity. 
I have quite frequently found fresh eggs in the nests of Bi. 
serripennis,, and those far advanced in incubation ; indeed, 
have found fresh, nearly hatched eggs, and young birds, in the 
same nest, but I have never noticed anything like this among 
Bank Swallows, though I have searched carefully. 
In general habits the difference is perhaps less marked. The 
Eough-wings arrive here about the 10th of April, in large num- 
bers, full two weeks before the Bank Swallows, and are found in 
company^ with B. horreorum and H. bicolor ^ playing around, 
and chasing insects over the ponds and rivers. 
About the first of May the Bank Swallows come ; H. serripen- 
nis then appear to grow scarcer, and to desert the vicinity of 
ponds and streams where there are no sand banks. During the 
latter part of June and through July, I have often met pairs 
of Bough-winged swallows fljdng steadily in a particular direc- 
tion, one or another turning out to pursue an occasional insect, 
but when it was captured returning to its former general 
course, over meadows, forests and streams until lost to sight. I 
have thus met pairs at different times, going towards all points 
of the compass. As they fly quite high at these times I have 
never succeeded in killing both birds, but think they would 
prove to be male and female. 
About the last of August, both this species, and B. riparia 
begin to migrate southward, associated with the Barn Swal- 
