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 94 Bird - Lore

to investigate two other boxes which I had placed near by. May 21, an- another pair of Swallows took one of the new boxes.

From April 17 to May 7, the Swallows were near their box all the time, but were never seen to enter.

On May 8, came the first signs of building. Straw and feathers were the chief materials used for building. To procure these materials the Swallows lit upon the ground. where they were exceedingly clumsy. resting upon their long wings. *

On. May 21. the Swallows had become more quiet, which led me to believe that eggs were in the nest. To verify my belief I tapped the tree, and out ﬂew a Swallow. Now I knew that there were eggs.

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Then. for several days. more than one of the Swallows was rarely seen. On June 3. however. the birds were ﬂying merrily about, and I could hear the young squealing in the box. The old birds were now kept busy getting food for their hungry young.

On the morning of June 16. six young Swallows were seen in the door- way oi the box. taking their first peep at the outside world. They now had to be fed much oftener. Here is a record of the number of times the young were fed. for about thirty minutes. which serves as a fair example of the number of times they were fed all day long: Fed once at 3.25, 3.37, 3,39 and 3.40; twice at 3.4.; and once at 3.59. It then began to rain, and the Swallows went inside until it stopped. when they resumed as before. On this same day. a little later. two of the young fell out of the box. and I replaced them.

On June [7. I began to take some photographs of the box. While do-