26o OUR FAVOURITE SONG BIRDS 



of Birds, where the subject is dealt with at some 

 length. 



The adult male Swallow has the forehead and 

 throat chestnut ; the upper parts are bluish-black 

 with a metallic gloss ; the wings and tail are brown 

 glossed with green ; all but the two central tail 

 feathers have a white spot on the inner web, which 

 shows very distinctly when the tail is expanded 

 during flight. The general colour of the under parts 

 below the throat, except a pectoral band of bluish- 

 black, is white, suffused with buff The female 

 closely resembles the male in colour, but the outer- 

 most tail feathers are not so long : the nestling 

 plumage is very similar to that of the female. The 

 total length of this bird is about seven and a half 

 mches. 



