Widmann — A Preliminary Catalog of the Birds of Missouri. 201 



Family Hirundinidae. Swallows. 

 *611. Progne subis (Linn.). Purple Martin. 



Hirundo subis. Hirundo purpurea. Progne purpurea. Martin. 



Geog. Dist. — United States (except Pacific coast) and southern 

 Canada, north to Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, 

 Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Vancouver, B. C. Breeds 

 from southern Florida and southern Texas, and plateau of Mexico 

 northward, and winters from southern Florida and Mexico to 

 Venezuela and Brazil. 



In Missouri a common and generally distributed summer 

 resident in cities and towns and on many farms wherever boxes 

 or nesting sites are found; most abundant in old towns along 

 rivers. The first Martins arrive in southern Missouri in the 

 second week of March, at St. Louis in the third, and in northern 

 Missouri in the fourth week of the month. Increase is slow and 

 the bulk of the species has not come before a month later, while 

 birds of the second year are not in full numbers before the middle 

 of May. As soon as the young are able to fly the distance, the 

 whole family goes to the common roost and Martins become 

 scarce at their breeding places about the middle of July, when 

 all the young are on wing. On their favorite hunting grounds 

 and especially at the roosts in the willows on the banks of the 

 Mississippi, Martins are present and numerous until the middle 

 of September, after which only stragglers are left. Last date 

 at St. Louis September 24. Migration from the north sets in 

 about the middle of August and from August 24 to September 

 10 extraordinary numbers go to the common roosts in the willows 

 (See Forest and Stream, vol. 23, no. 10). Though English Spar- 

 rows are said to drive the Martins away, no decrease is noticeable 

 in Missouri, and with a little help from us English Sparrows can 

 easily be kept out of Martins' houses. For an account of "How 

 Young Martins are fed" see Forest and Stream, vol. 22, no. 25, 

 reprinted in vol. 1, p. 6 of the Audubon Magazine, July 1887. 



*612. Petrochelidon lunifrons (Say). Cliff Swallow. 



Hirundo lunifrons. Hirundo republicana. Hirundo fulva. Eave Swallow. 



Geog. Dist.— North America north to Cape Breton, Anticosti, 

 Godbout; in the interior to Mackenzie and Yukon Valley, 

 and on the Pacific coast to British Columbia; breeding neariy 



