WESTERN BIRDS SwaUow 



out occasionally as they observed some of their old 

 companions passing the windows." 



Subspecies found in the west are the Lesser Cliff 

 Swallow (P. 1. tachina) which breeds in Texas and the 

 Rio Grande Valley ; and the Mexican Cliff (P. 1. melano- 

 gastra) found breeding in southern Arizona. It is smaller 

 than lunifrons and has the forehead chestnut, like throat 

 and side of head. 



GENUS HIRUNDO: BARN SWALLOW. 



Bam Swallow: Hirundo erythrogastra. 

 FAMILY— SWALLOWS. 



The Barn Swallow is another member of the family 

 which is found widely distributed, being a summer resi- 

 dent both east and west, as well as going far north of 

 the United States. 



They are about seven inches long and have deeply- 

 forked tails; glossy black uppers which glint in greens 

 and blues; rich brown under parts which are deeper on 

 throat and paler on under wing coverts. The forehead is 

 a dark brown; a collar of black partially circles the 

 throat, and white markings on all but the middle tail 

 feathers complete a handsome costume. 



The birds have the swift, graceful flight of the family ; 

 now skimming low over lake, marsh, or ocean beach, or 

 flying through the air at a great height; dropping, turn- 

 ing with rapid wing-beat, always graceful and never 

 colliding as less expert aviators would do. As you watch 

 them you feel that the proverbial busy bee is lazy com- 

 pared to the industry of these birds. 



Besides the difference in plumage between the Cliff 

 and Barn Swallows, their nesting habits are dissimilar 

 in that the latter builds an o^pen nest. They are fond of 

 rafters and cornices in barns, where they place their mud 



229 



