208 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Had. WIidIi- "f N'urtli AmiTlou (IndinllnB Or>>''nlJiiuI iinil Aluska'. iiml parts of Houth 

 AiiK-rli-a; bri'i'tln throiiKlioiit North America. In.-liulliiKpartB of M';xloo; wlnli-rs in tropi- 

 cal America. IncliullnB West Indies. 



"Sp. Chah. Tail very deeply forked; outer feathers »eveml Inches lonsor than ihe 

 inner, very narrow towards the end. .\liove nlo»»y liliie. with eonccaled white In Ihe mlil- 

 dle of tht> back. Throat ehcHlnut: rest of lower part reddish white, not conspicuously 

 ilifTerent. \ steel-blue coUar on the upper part of the breast. Interrupted In the middle. 

 Tall-feathers with a white spot nearthe middle, on the innerweb. Female with the outer 

 tail-feather not quite so loner. Length, 6.90 Inches; wlnK,5.UU; tail.4.So.' [Hint. -V. Atn. H.) 



In young birds, the frontal chestnut band is smaller and less dis- 

 tinct. The adult male is more deeply colored beneath than the 

 female. 



The common Bam Swallow is so well knovMi that any special 

 account of its habits in tliis work would be quite superfluous. Its 

 distribution is quite universal, its breeding range including almost 

 the whole continent of North America. In unsettled districts where 

 there are no buildings for its accommodation, it builds in caves 

 or recesses among cliffs. Like all the Swallow tribe, the present 

 species is most beneficial to the farmer, and should be most care- 

 fully protected and encouraged. 



Genus TACHYCINETA Cabanis. 



Taclii/cineta Cad. Mus. Helu. ISM. -18. Type Hirnndo thalafniun Sw. 



"Gen. Chab. Nostrils lateral, overhung or bordered intemnlly by Incumbent mem- 

 brane. Tarsi with the tibial joint covered by overhanging feathers, adherent a short dis- 

 tance along inner face, about equal to middle toe without claw. Lateral toes equal. 

 Adhesion of basal joint of middle toe variable. Tail omarginate only. or slightly forked; 

 fork not exceeding half an iuch in depth. Color blue or green above, with or without 

 metallic gloss; with or without white rump. Entirely white beneath. Nests usually In 

 holes of trees or rocks; eggs pure white, unspotted." {Biat. X. Am. B.) 



Of tliis section there are two North American species which 

 may be distinguished by the following characters, both being blue 

 or green above and white beneath : 



1. T. bioolor. Throat feathers white to the base; aurlculars wholly dusky. Adult: 

 Above. Including the aurlculars. rich metallic steel-blue, with green reflections. 

 YoKtig: Above lustreless sooty-plumbeous. 



2. T. thalasaina. Throat feathers dusky grayish below the surface; aurlculars mostly 

 wliiti^h. Aihill iiinli': Above rich. soft {not uietnllic) dark green (somellnies 

 bronzed ovi-r with purple), with a violet collar across thi' nape; upper tail-coverts 

 mixed with rich violct-purple: sides of the rump with a white patch. Ailiilt 

 frtiinlf: Binillar to the male, hut duller; crown bronze-gray. Ymiuo: Similar to 

 that of hirnlnr, except as described above. 



T. thdlitiisiiiii is a western species, tlie riiiige of wliicli extends 

 little if any east of the Rocky Mountains. 



