FAMILY HirundinidcE 



and with much twittering make their plans 

 for the long trip. Today they are everywhere 

 in animated groups, tomorrow they have 

 disappeared not to return until the following 

 spring. The white rump patch, together with 

 the white encircling the eye, will distinguish 

 the violet-green from the tree sw^allow and 

 are distinctive field marks for the species. 



^ Western martin, Progne suhis hesperia, 



8.00 



Distribution: Pacific Coast district from 

 British Columbia to Mexico, wintering south 

 to Nicaragua. 



The western martin is not common any- 

 where in its range. Small colonies are known 

 to inhabit certain localities about Puget 

 Sound and the lower Columbia River. They 

 are occasionally reported from points in the 

 Coast Range Mountains where they are 

 supposed to nest in hollow trees. They are 

 known to nest m the wooden boxing about 

 the overhead electric wires in some north- 

 western cities, and in the broken cornices of 

 old buildings at several points along the lower 

 Columbia. They are more common in the 

 southern part of their range. In California 

 the western martin is found about the farm- 

 steads where it nests in the crevices of the 

 56 



