386 SWALLOWS 



lores deep black ; wings and tail blackish, slightly tinged with green. 

 Adult female : upper parts usually duller than in male, 

 but sexes often indistinguishable. Young : above entirely 

 dull brownish slate. Length : 5.00-6.25, wing about 4.50- 

 4.80, tail 2.30-2.50. 



Distribution. Breeds from the limit of trees south to 

 New Jersey, the Ohio Valley, Kansas, and California ; 



Fig. 476. White- winters from South Carolina and the Gulf States south 



bellied Swallow, to the West Indes and Guatemala. 



Nest. In holes, usually of trees, lined with grasses, 



leaves, and feathers. Eggs : usually 4 or 5, pure white. 



The white-bellied swallow, w T ith its shining white breast and 

 metallic bluish green back, may be seen skimming over the water 

 or sailing about in the sky in almost any suitable place in North 

 America. In southern California it is said to be abundant in the 

 lowland willow regions, especially about ponds and marshes, while 

 in Colorado it breeds up to an altitude of 10,000 feet. 



615. Tachycineta thalassina lepida (Mearns). NORTHERN 



VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW. 



Adult male. Top of head parrot green ; nape with a narrow purple 

 collar ; back bottle green, glossed with violet in some lights ; rump and 

 upper tail coverts violet, shaded with purple ; wing and tail quills black, 

 glossed with indigo ; wing coverts violet, edged with green ; rump with 

 white patches on sides almost confluent in life ; under parts white. Adult 

 female : similar, but smaller and duller. Young : like those of bicolor, 

 but feathers of under parts grayish beneath the surface, and bill smaller. 

 Length : 5.30, wing 4.65, tail 1.97, bill .26. 



Distribution. ; Breeds in western United States to the eastern base of the 

 Rocky Mountains ; north to Alaska ; migrates to Guatemala and Costa Rica. 



Nest. In cliffs or hollow trees, lined with feathers. Eggs : 4 or 5, white. 



Let a violet green swallow once come fleeing down a canyon past 

 you, so that you see its remarkable violet back as it flashes by, and 

 you will always have a vivid interest in the handsome bird. 



It is especially fond of the oaks and pines of the mountains, but 

 nests not only in hollow trees and woodpecker holes but often in the 

 walls of canyons. Dr. Mearns has found it breeding in limestone 

 cliffs about the hot springs and geysers of the Yellowstone. It is 

 not exclusively a bird of the wilds, however, but sometimes comes 

 about ranches. 



GENUS RIP ARIA. 



616. Riparia riparia (Linn.). BANK SWALLOW. 



Tarsus with a small tuft of feathers on back near toes ; bill 

 small, nostrils opening- laterally; tail much shorter than 

 wings, emarginate. Upper parts sooty, darkest on head and 

 wings ; under parts white, with sooty band across chest and 

 sides, and sometimes sooty spot on breast. Young : similar, 

 but feathers of wings and rump with buffy or whitish edg- 

 Fig. 477. i, lgs . Length : 4.75-5.50, wing 3.70-4.25, tail 2.10-2.25. 



