another, taken on the 20th of July, had four fresh eggs. Air. N. C. Brown, in his
‘ Heconnaissauce in South-western Texas,’ says that he found tho present species to he
a common summer resident there, arriving about tbe 20th of Alarch.
Air. G. B. Sennctt has given the following iutei*esting account of the species in his
paper on the hirds of tho llio Grande :—
“ None were seen lower down the river than Hidalgo, much to our wonder, for the
conditions seem quite as fiwourahle for them at Brownsville or Alatamoras as at points
above. In the absence of cliifs in the vicinity of Hidalgo, they adapt themselves to the
eaves of the buildings in the town. Tlirough the kindness of Sheriff Leo, we occupied
the court-house, and these Swallows were incessantly working and chattering about us
from daylight to dark, and even in the night we could hear them in their nests. We
had ample opportunity to observe their habits. They are gregarious in all their occupations.
In collecting mud for their houses, the choice spots of thoir selection on the
margin of tbe river were so thickly covered with them that often more than a hundred
luiddled on and over a space of two feet in diameter. The curious bottle-shaped nests
were crowded so closely together that little could he seen of them but their mouths.
We endeavoured to obtain a sample of tlie nests entire, but tliere was so much quicksand
in the mud of which they were made that we found it impracticable to do so.
None of the nests were lined. In some we found stones and bits of broken crockery,
wliich had been thrown in by the boys before the nests were completed; and yet the
hirds had laid their eggs among this rubbish. In making the nest, the first choice is a
corner formed by wall, eaves, and rafter, very little labour, therefore, being necessary to
make the remaining side. This side of the nest is made spherical, with tlie mouth and
the neck standing out some two inches from it. The next ones lap on to it, others lap on
to them, and so on. As soon as a shelf is formed large enough to hold the bird, it stands
on it and works from within. The pair work in turn. To gather tbe eggs it is necessary
to demolish a part of tlie nest, unless, as we sometimes found, eggs were laid before the
nest was finished. In the completed nests, the clutch varied from four to seven ; but iu
one extra large nest, whicli from its size and shajie looked as if two birds occupied it in
common, we took ten eggs. From tbe window of our sleeping-room we could watch
tho birds at tlieir work without disturbing them, although but four feet distant from
some of them. AVhen we took the eggs, on Alay 7th, some were nearly ready to hatch,
but most of them were fresh, and many birds were just beginning their nests.
“ The ground-colour of the eggs is a dull white. The markings are hrown and very
variable. Some are speckled, others blotched; some regularly over the whole egg, and
others with far the greater number of spots on tho larger end. The longest egg Avas
0-90, the sliortest 0'70; the broadest Q-GO, and tho narrowest 0-53. The average of fifty
eggs is O'SO by 0'5G.”
Turning once more northward, we find tliat Air. Scott records tliis Swallow as
common in Western Alissouri, arriving about tlie lOtli of April and breeding. The
same gentleman says that iu Arizona he observed the species in numbers at Kiverside iu
April, and Mr. Brewster states that he found tlie birds breeding abundantly at Yuma,
along a bluff above tlio torvn. Dr. Elliott Coues also says, iu bis paper on birds observed
from Ai'izona to the I’aoific, that immense numbers made their nests on the precipitous
and rocky sides of the rivers.
The vertical range of the species in Colorado is given as follows by Air. Drew
“ Spring 0000 fe e t; summer 11,000 feet; autumn 9500 feet. Breeds from the plains
up to 10,000 feet.”
Air. Scott sevs that at Twin Lakes he found it very abundant. On tbe 20th of J une
tlie birds began to build under tbe caves of a barn. Many breed on the faces of file
cliffs of the Arkansas River, ifessrs. Allen and Brewster, in their paper on Colorado
hirds, state that it was first observed about tlie ISth of Jlay, but doubtless arrived
somewhat earlier. _
Air. Henshaw gives the following account:—“ Observed in Snake Valley, Acvada,
and in many localities in Aliddle and Southern Utah, Uviug in colonies, and building
their nests at times in inaccessible spots, in lofty cliffs, and again m places at a few feet
above the plain. A widespread species, both in Arizona and New Alexico, as their mud-
nests, attached to the cliffs everywhere, attest.
“ Seen near Fort Garland, Colorado, in large numbers, building under tbe caves of
tlio post quarters. I noticed here a very curious departure from the usual method of
coiistruoting the nest. Under t h e projecting eaves of one of tlie storo-liouses, a large
colony had established themselves, there heing in the neiglibourhood fifty nests, most of
which were built in tlio usual fasliion. But a few pairs, taking advantage of circumstances,
had established themselves iu certain small passages whieh opened directly
under the eaves, and liad served as ventilators. The moutli of eacli one of these liad
been built up witli mud, a small hole being loft as au entrance. Some twelve inches
lieyoiid was the proper nest, consisting of a small pile of straws and feathers, on whicli
the eggs wero deposited. The wisdom of the hirds in thus availing themselves ot these
liolcs was very clearly demonstrated, since nearly the entire labour of nest-makiiig was
obviated and a mueh safer domicile secured.”
“ This species,” writes Mr. Hoffman in his paper on the Birds of Nevada, “ is
usually abundant in tlie vicinity of rivers, streams, and even largo springs in fertile,
valleys, as at one localitv near tlie divide between Deep Spring and Smoky Valleys. In
man/ places against tbo face of the limestono cliifs the nests of these birds were built,
and apparently lionped upon ono another in tlio greatest confusion. Immediately
beneath tlic ledges, which were vertically about 80 feet high, and extended horizontally
for about 100 yards, tlicro was continuation of the piuoii woods visible in every dirootioii,
except about an oiglitli of a mile below, where the timber ended and the grassy valley
stretehcd away towards tlie east. The springs and a small rivulet rising in the lulls on
the south were fringed witli an ahundanco of willows aud small cotton woods, wliere we
first noticed those birds during tbo afternoon of our going into camp. The next day,
however, we found their liabitations, and even saw the birds ilying in all directions over
O V