SWALLOWS 



big red barns, or in artificial houses put up 

 for them. The martin is the Largest of the 

 American swallows and may be distinguished 

 from all others of the family by its color as 

 well as by its size. The whole body is a glossy 

 blue black, the wings and tail being black, 

 the tail is deeply forked. Its twittering call 

 note, or song, attracts instant attention by 

 its vibrant quality. Martins are wanderers. 

 They may be found in one locality for several 

 years and then disappear without apparent 

 reason, no others coming to take their place. 



. Barn swallow, Hirundo erythrogastra. 



^^ 6.75 



Distribution: North America in general 

 from Alaska south over the whole ofi the 

 United States and Mexico. Wintering from 

 the INIexican border south through Central 

 America and South America to the Argentine. 



The barn swallow is very handsome with 

 its steely blue upperparts, reddish brown 

 underparts and long forked tail. In flight 

 it is the most graceful of all the swallows. 

 Along the Pacific Slope it is more common 

 west of the Coast Range JNIountains where it 

 may be found m\ large numbers skimming 

 over the grassy slopes in sight of the ocean; 

 making its nest underneath culverts and 



