190 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



part of the State according to Mr. Allen, it is the 

 least abundant of the swallows; and is exceedingly 



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careless in its selection. It has a breeding rantre 



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from the 38th degree to high norfhern latitudes. 

 Mr. Richardson found it breeding in trees on the 

 banks of the Mackeiizies river; Dale mentions it 

 in Alaska, but it has not been observed in Green- 

 land. In this latitude it is chiefly a denizen of 



woods, and builds almost exclusively in hollow 



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trees. 



Its nest is loosely built and is composed of soft 

 leaves, fine meadow-grasses, and^warmly lined with 

 an abundance of down and feathers. We have 

 never met with more than one nest in a season. : 



Its departure for the West Indies, Central 

 America, and Northern South America, where it 

 winters, takes place early in September. 



The parents like those ot the species last de- 

 scribed, are strongly attached to each other, and 

 manifest the utmost devotion to their offspring. 



The eggs area pure white, with a delicate pink- 

 ish tinge when unblown, and unspotted; oblong- 

 oval in shape, and more pointed at one extremity 

 than the other. They measure .8 of an inch in 

 length and .54 in breadth. 



' Petrqclielidpn huiifrons, Baird. 



The Cliff Swallow has been but ' occasionally 

 observed within the limits of Philadelphia, but in 

 Northumberland Co., to the westward, it is nearly 

 as common as the Barn Swallow is with us, Its 



