196 KEY TO SWALLOWS 



erally a deserted Kingfislier hole or other suitable 

 cavity. An interesting article on the Rough- 

 winged's nesting habits, by Walter Van Fleet, is 

 to be found in the ' Bulletin of the Nuttall Orni- 

 thological Club,' vol. i. No. i. p. 9. 



Looking back over the Swallows we have 

 spoken of, it becomes an easy matter to distin- 

 guish them. The Barn is known by its long 

 forked tail (see Plate IV. p. 50) ; the Cliff or 

 Eave by its light, buffy rump and its gourd- 

 shaj^ed nest (see Fig. 22, p. 52) ; the Purj^le 

 Martin by its uniformly blue-black body ; the 

 Tree or AYhite-bellied by its shining white breast 

 (see Fig. 122, p. 194) ; the Bank by the dark 

 band across its breast (see Fig. 24, p. 55) ; and 

 the Rough-wing by its sooty back and lack of 

 distinguishing breast-marks. 



Key to Adult Male Swallows. 



Common Characters. — Birds of the air, wliich catch their 

 insect prey on the wing in their 

 widely gaping bills. 

 1. Tail conspicuously forked. Upper 

 parts steel-blue ; under parts choco- 

 late. Beats over meadows for in- 

 sects. 



p. 49. Barn Swallow. 



v. Tail not conspicuously forked. 

 2. Back with metallic lustre. 

 3. Under parts shining blue-black. 



p. 48. Purple Martin. 



