204 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



ami pectoral collar stcel-Niie; front and throat, sometimes under parts, 



rufous. Tail-feathers with white spots on inner webs Chelidon. 



Tail with shallow fork, not exceeding halt an inch, shorter than closed 

 wings. Feathers broad. Color blue or green above, with or without 

 white rump ; white beneath. Tail-feathers without spots Tachycineta. 



Tarsus with a tuft of iVathers at lower end. Lateral claws lengthened 



reaching beyond base of middle claw. 



Tail slightly forked. Color dull brown above ; beneath white, with browr. 

 pectoral collar Clivicola. 



GENUS PROGNE BOIE. 



Progne BOIE, Isis, 1820,971. Type, Hirundo pm-pim-a LINN.=#. siilis LINN. 



"Gen. CHAE. Body stout. Bill robust, lengthened; lower or commissural edge of 

 maxilla sinuated, decidedly convex for basal half, then as concave to the tip, the lower 

 . mandible falling within its chord. Nostrils superior, broadly open, and nearly circular, 

 without any adjacent meniliranc, the edges rounded. Legs stout. Tarsus equal to mid- 

 dle toe without claw; the joint feathered: lateral toes about equal; the basal joint of the 

 middle toe half free internally, rather less so externally. Claws strong, much curved. 

 Nest in hollow trees. 'Eggs white. 



"The species of this genus are the most powerful and robust of 

 the Swallows. Some are glossy black, others whitish below." (Hist. 



N. Am. B.) 



Progne subis (Linn.) 



PURPLE MARTIN. 



Popular synonyms. Martin; House Martin; Purple Swallow; American Martin; Violet 

 Swallow. 



llirvnilo snl>ix LINN. S. N. ed. 10, i, 1758. 192. 



Progne sub in BAIKD, Review, 18G5, 274. B. B. & E. Hist, N. Am. B. i, 1874, 320, pi. 16, 

 ligs. 7, 10. COUES, 15. Col. Yal. 1878, 445; 2d Check List, 1882, No. 165. BIDGW. Norn. 

 N. Am. B. 1881. No. 152. 

 Iliniiulo jiiiriiurrn LINN. S. N. ed. 12, i, 17(J(i, 344. WILS. Am. Orn. v, 1812, 58, pi. 39, figs. 2, 



3. AUD. Orn. Biog. i, 1831, 115, pi. 23; Synop. 1839, 37; B. Am. i, 1840, 170, pi. 45. 

 Progin' i>nritin-en BOIE. 1826. BAIED, B. N. Am. 1858, 314; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859. No. 231. 

 COUES, Key, 1872, 114; Check List, 1873, No. 117; B. N. W. 1874, 91. 



HAS. Whole of temperate North America, wintering in Mexico (and southern United 

 States?) ; Bermudas; accidental in Europe. 



SP. CHAE. A</>/lt male. Entirely uniform lustrous steel-blue, with violet-blue re- 

 flections; the wings and tail black, slightly glossed with bluish. Adult female. Above 



glossy blue-black, be ining hoary grayish on the forehead, and sometimes on the nape 



also ; throat and jugulum gray ; rest of lower parts white, relieved by dusky shaft-streaks. 

 Young. Similar to the adult female, but above less glossy blackish, and the nape crossed 

 by a more distinct grayish collar. Wing, 5.50-6.20; tail, 3.20-3.80, forked for .80-1.00 inch. 



The young male is several years in attaining the uniform glossy 

 violet-black plumage, the steel-blue feathers appearing in gradually 

 coalescing patches. 



