LUUUNDINIDJE THE SWALLOWS. 207 



GENUS CHELIDON FOKSTEE. 



Chelidon FORST. Synop. Cat. Brit. B. 1817,55. Type. Hirundo rustica LINN. 



"GEN. CHAR. Nostrils lateral. Tarsi short, not exceeding middle toe without its claw, 

 the upper joint covered with feathers, which extend a short distance along the inner face 

 of tarsus. Tail very deeply forked; the lateral feather much attenuated, twice as long as 

 the middle. Basal joint of middle toe free for terminal fourth on outside, for half on 

 inside. Nest partly of mud, and lined with feathers; eggs spotted. 



In type, an in American species, the forehead and throat rufous; a black pectoral col- 

 lar; tail feathers with largo light spots on inner webs." (Hist. N. Am. B.) 



This, the typical genus of the family, has numerous representa- 

 tives in the Old World, but in America is represented by a single 

 species, the C . erythrogaster, or common Barn Swallow, which in- 

 habits the greater portion of both North and South America. The 

 various species are characterized, in addition to the characters of 

 form detailed above, by a distinctive coloration very different from 

 that of the otherwise closely related genera Tachycineta and Calli- 

 cJielidoii, but much resembling that of the species of Petrochelidon, 

 from which, however, other characters trenchantly separate them. 

 The allied American genera may be distinguished from Clidldon as 

 follows : 



Tarsi slightly feathered on inner face at upper end ; equal in length to middle toe- 

 without claw. 



Tail very deeply forked. Plumage beneath rufous, the throtal darker Chelidon. 



Tail slightly forked or emarginate, plumage beneath pure white Tachycineta. 



Tarsi entirely naked, lengthened, equal to middle toe and half its claw. 



Tail considerably forked. Plumage beneath pure white Callichelidon*. 



Chelidon erythrogaster (Bodd.) 



t 



BARN SWALLOW. 



Popular synonym. Rufous-bellied Swallow. 



Hirundo erythrogaster BODD. Tabl. P. E. 1783,45 (based on PI. Enl. 724, fig. 1). BAIRD, Re- 

 view, 1865, 295. CouES.B. Col. Val. 1878, 407 (erythrogastra); EIDGW. Nom. N. Am. 

 B. 1881, No. 154. 



Clielidon erythrogastra STEJNEGER, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. v, 1882,31. 

 Hirundo rufa GMEL. S. N. i, 1788, 1018. NUTT. Man. i, 1832,601. 



Hirundo horreorum BARTON, Frag. Nat. Hist. Penn. 1799, 17. BAIRD, B. N. Am. 1858,308; Cat. 

 N. Am. B. 1859, No. 225; Eeview, 1865, 294. COUES, Key, 1872, 113; Check List, 1873, No. 

 Ill; B. N. W. 1874,85. B. B. & R. Hist, N. Am. B. i,1874,a39. pi. 16. fig. 9. 

 Hirundo erythrogastra horreorum COUES, 2d Check List, 1882, No. 159. 

 Hirundo rustica "LiNN." AUD. Orn. Biog. ii, 1834, 413, pi. 173; Synop. 1839,35; B. Am. i,1840, 



181, pi. 48 (nee LINN.) 

 Hirundo americana WILS. AM. Orn. i, 1812,34, pi. 38, figs. 1,2. 



* 0. cyaneoviridis BRYANT; BAIRD, Review, 303 (Bahamas). 



