364 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



First primary longest. Legs covered by the naked skin, without scutellae or feathers. 

 Tarsus longer than middle toe. Lateral toes equal, nearly as long as the middle. Hind 

 toe scarcely versatile, or quite posterior; including claw, less than the middle anterior 

 without it. Toes slender; claws moderate. Feathers of the base of the bill not extend- 

 ing beyond the beginning of the nostrils." (Hist. N. Am. .) 



This genus has numerous representatives in tropical America, 

 while in the western United States, especially the Pacific coast, 

 occurs the C. vauxii (Towns.), a species allied to but quite distinct 

 from the C. pelagica. 



Cheetura pelagica (Linn.) 



CHIMNEY SWIFT. 



Popular synonyms. Chimney Swallow; Chimney Sweep. 



Hirundo pelagica LINN. S. N. ed. 10, i, 1758, 192. 

 Ctuetura pelagica B. B. & E. Hist. N. Am. B. ii, 1874, 432, pi. 45, fig. 7. COUES, B. N. W. 



1874, 267. 



Hirundo pelasgia LINN. S. N. ed. 12, i, 1766, 345. WrLS. Am. Orn. v, 1812, 48, pi. 39, fig. 1. 

 Cypselus pelasgius BP. 1828. NUTT. Man. i, 1832, 609. AUD. Orn. Biog. ii, 1835, 329; v, 



1839, 419, pi. 158. 

 Chcetura pelasgia STEPH. 1825. AUD. Synop. 1839, 33; B. Am. i, 1840, 104, pi. 44. BAIKD. 



B. N. Am. 1855, 144; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 109. COTJES, Key, 1872, 183; Check List, 



1874, No. 271. 

 Cha.tura pelasgica KIDGW. Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 351. COUES. 2d Check List, 1882, 



No. 405. 

 HAS. Eastern United States and British Provinces. Winter quarters unknown. 



SP. CHAE. Above dark sooty grayish, paler on rump and upper tail-coverts, and with 

 a faint greenish gloss; wings darker than back. Beneath lighter sooty gray, the chin 

 and throat much paler. Bill black; iris brown; feet livid grayish. Total length, 5.25-5.40; 

 extent, 12.30; wing, 5.00-5.20; tail, 1.90-2.15. 



This Swift, the only species inhabiting eastern North America, 

 is abundant throughout the country, and its general habits are so 

 well known as to make special mention of them in this connection 

 superfluous. One interesting fact connected with the Chimney 

 Swift may however be alluded to, viz., the circumstance that its 

 winter home is absolutely unknown to ornithologists. No specimens 

 taken at any locality south of the Gulf coast have been recorded, 

 while no one seems to have ever seen one anywhere in the 

 United States in winter. It has been asserted by some writers 

 that it passes the winter in a state of inanition or torpidity, 

 many hundreds or thousands of them hibernating together, like 

 bats, in hollow trees. But this statement requires verification. 

 Chimney Swifts are, however, exceedingly gregarious except when 

 nesting, it being a common sight, in nearly all parts of the coun- 



