302 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Family MICROPODID^.— The Swifts. (Page 297.) 



Genera. 



a}. Tarsi and part of toes feathered, the hind-toe directed either forward or laterally, 



not backward. {^nMaxmlj Mlcropodince.) Micropus. (Page 303.) 



a^. Tarsi and toes naked, the hind-toe directed backward. (Subfamily Chcetiirince.) 

 6\ Tail rounded, or even, the feathers usually with distinct spinous points; 



wing less than 5.50 Chaetura. (Pago 302.) 



b'^. Tail slightly forked, or emarginate. 



c^. Tail-feathers without spinous points ; wing less than 7.00 ; no white 



collar Cypseloides. (Page 302.) 



c^. Tail-feathers with distinct, though small, spinous points ; wing 8.00 or 

 more ; a white collar Hemiprocne} 



Genus CYPSELOIDES Streubel. (Page 302, pi. LXXXIX., fig. 2.) 



Sjjecies. 



Adult : Uniform dusky or blackish, becoming more sooty grayish on head and 

 neck, the forehead more hoary. Young : Similar, but feathers bordered terminally 

 with whitish. Length about 7.00-7.50, wing 6.50-7.50, tail 2.30-3.00. Hab. 

 Western United States (north to Colorado, Nevada, and British Columbia), and 

 south to Costa Eica; Jamaica, Haiti, and other West India islands. 



422. C. niger (Gmel.). Black Swift. 



Genus CH^TURA Stephens. (Page 302, pi. LXXXIX., fig. 3.) 



Species. 



Common Characters. — Plain dusky, or dark sooty grayish, above, the wings 

 darker, the rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail usually paler ; lower parts plain sooty 

 grayish, darker posteriorly, paler (sometimes dull whitish or whitish gra}^) ante- 

 riorly. Or else, uniform sooty, the throat not paler (C. brunneitorques, 9), or black- 

 ish, with broad collar of rufous round neck (C. brunneitorques, %). 



(7\ Throat distinctly paler than other parts ; male without rufous collar. 

 6^ Wing 5.00, or more. 



Length about 4.75-5.50, wing 5.00-5.25, tail (including spines) 1.90- 

 2.15. Nest a shallow half-saucer-shaped structure of dried twigs, 

 glued together with the bird's saliva, and with the same adhesive 

 substance fastened to the inside of a hollow tree (with the entrance 

 from above), a disused chimney, or similar place. Eggs 4-6, ellip- 



1 Hemvprocne Nitzsch, Pterylog. 1840, 12.S. Type, by elimination, Hirundo zonaris Shaw. 

 This genus includes two Mexican species— the largest members of the family— either of which may possibly 

 occur as a straggler within our southwestern border. 



