. Animal snapshots and how made . mmon is usually placed in a chimney and is composed oftwigs quite uniform in length and size, woven intoa semicircular basket. As they seldom frequent theground, there has been considerable speculation con-cerning the methods by which the swifts obtain theirnesting material. It has, however, been found thatinstead of selecting material already scattered aboutby the wind they break twigs from dead limbs ortrees, while in full flight. These twigs are held inplace upon the side of the chimney and where theycross each other, by a very adhesive saliva secr
. Animal snapshots and how made . mmon is usually placed in a chimney and is composed oftwigs quite uniform in length and size, woven intoa semicircular basket. As they seldom frequent theground, there has been considerable speculation con-cerning the methods by which the swifts obtain theirnesting material. It has, however, been found thatinstead of selecting material already scattered aboutby the wind they break twigs from dead limbs ortrees, while in full flight. These twigs are held inplace upon the side of the chimney and where theycross each other, by a very adhesive saliva secretedby the birds. When the nest is completed it is quiteshallow as compared with that of a robin, beingusually not more than a fourth as deep, and havingnone of the soft lining usually found in the nests of 220 The Chimney Swift other birds. On the contrary, the home of the swiftis rather rough within, while the entire surface, insideand out, has a glistening appearance due to theabundance of saliva which is used, not only at the. Nest and Young of the Chimney Swiit intersection of the twigs, but also scattered some-what promiscuously over thern. The saliva when dryis a hard glue-like substance, possessing considerablestrength, but when moistened by continued rains it The Chimney Swift 221 gradually softens and then it not infrequently happensthat the nest, weighed down by the young birds, fallsto the bottom of the chimney. If the fall does notkill the nestlings, they usually climb up the sides ofthe chimney for a short distance, and here theyremain in a hanging position, being fed by the oldbirds until they are ready to fly and shift for them-selves. The young swifts are very interesting, althoughsomewhat uncanny in their actions, resembling intheir constant movements a bunch of wrigghng first I thought they were irritated by the vermin,ro common about birds nests, but as I failed to findanything of the sort, I looked for another careful observation I con
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectani, booksubjectbirds
