NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 9 
NOTES ON THE ROUGH- WINGED SWALLOW (HIRUNDO 
SERRIPENNIS), IN PENNSYLVANIA. 
BY WALTER VAX FLEET. 
I have, during two years of rather careful observation, no- 
ticed a constant and decided difference in the breeding and 
other habits of the Rough-winged Swallow, as compared with the 
Bank Swallow ( 'II. riparia). The main points are as follows : 
II. serripennis is not gregarious while nesting, but during the 
breeding season appears rather to avoid its kind, as well 
as the Bank Swallows, and to associate only in pairs. Their 
nesting holes are not placed near each other in the manner of 
H. riparia, but are scattered along the banks of creeks and riv- 
ers at irregular intervals, wherever an especially favorable local- 
ity occurs. They very seldom excavate a hole for themselves, 
but generally take up with any suitable cavity, and alter it to 
suit their taste. It is quite common to find them breeding in 
deserted Kingfishers’ holes, and in this case placing the nest 
within a foot or eighteen inches from the entrance. They will 
also, on finding a decayed root of sufficient size, leading in from 
their favorite sand banks, remove the soft punky wood, follow- 
ing the winding of the root, until they have arrivedat a suit- 
able distance — about two feet — where, after enlarging the cavi- 
ty, they place their nest. This species is also fond of building 
in holes in stone bridge piers and other masonry, near water, re- 
turning to the same place year after year. 
In the few cases which I have observed of their excavating, 
for themselves, it has been done in a very slovenly manner, and 
invariably their holes have been much larger than is apparently 
necessary, and round at the entrance, while on the contrary the 
holes of the II. riparia are very symmetrical ellipses, with the 
longer axis horizontal, and not larger than is needful to permit 
free ingress and egress of the birds. I have never yet, in this lo- 
cality, found a Bank Swallow’s hole large enough to admit the 
hand, without enlarging, while the nest of the Rough-wings can 
generally be reached without any trouble, except when built in 
masonry. In this case they will pass through a crevice barely 
large enough to admit their bodies, providing there is a cavity 
within large enough to contain the nest. 
2 
The Rough-Winged Swallow. 
[Sea Island Notes.] 
lil' WALTER HOXIE. 
Among the Sea Islands, the Rough-winged 
Swallow finds very convenient breeding places, 
and is a very regular resident, though his 
Spring arrival is somewhat of a movable feast, 
varying as my record shows, between the 21st 
of March and the 8th of May. If his cousin, 
the Bank Swallow, ever accompanies him, he 
certainly does not come to stay, and has never 
yet introduced himself to me. 
As soon as they get home, the Rough-wings 
begin to inspect their nesting sites. They 
scratch little hollows in the side of a sanci- 
bluff, and then sit around on convenient sticks 
and indulge in lively discussion regarding the 
merits of the locality. This prospecting work 
lasts but a few days or a week at most, and the 
real work of excavating the subterranean 
dwelling soon begins, and seems to be quite a 
laborious process, occupying three to four 
weeks. The eggs are four or five in number, 
oftener less than more, and average a little 
over three-fourths of an inch in length. 
A detailed account of the nesting of a pair 
I have watched carefully this Spring, will il- 
lustrate sufficiently well the above general 
statement. 
On the fourth of April. 1 found signs of 
scratching in a sand-bluff near my house, and 
a pair of Rough-wings were seen near the place. 
On the ninth, the hole was begun, the excava- 
tion being then something less than six inches. 
Work continued till the 21st, when a few grass 
roots were seen at the farther end. The meas- 
urements at this time were : depth, 18 inches ; 
width, 4 1-2 inches, contracting at the end to 
3 1-2 inches; height, 2 5-8 inches. On ttie eighth 
of May, a set of these eggs was taken. Incu- 
bation begun. The nest was composed of grass 
roots (Joint grass), and for a subterranean 
structure was very compactly constructed. 
The front was well raised, being an inch and 
five-eighths high, but there was no back to 
speak of ; inside diameter, 2 3-8 inches. The 
shape was thus very similar to a nest of the 
Climbing Swift. 
As a study of “ capacities,” I subjoin the 
measurements of this set and their cubic con- 
tents both by weight and by measure. 
No. 1. .81 x .51 in. ; capacity by weight, 13 
inches; by measure, 14 inches; No. 2. .83 x .53 
inches; capacity by weight. .17 incites; by 
measure, 16 inches; No. 3. .80 x .53 inches; 
capacity by weight, .14 inches ; by measure, .14 
inches. O.&O. XIII. Jane. 1888 p. ?/ 
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