HIRtJNDINID^ — THE SWALLOWS. 209 



Tachycineta bicolor (Vieill.) 



WHITE BELLIED SWALLOW. 



Popular synonyms. Black and White Swallow; Gi-peii-blue Swallow; Tree Swallow. 



Hirundo bicoJor Vieill. Ois. Am. Sept. i, 1807, 61, pi. 31.— Aud. Orn. Biog. i, 1831. 491, pi. 



98; Synop. 1839, 3S;B. Am. i, 1840. 175, pi. 46.— Nutt. Man. i, 1832, 605.— Baikd. B. N, 



Am. 1858, 310; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 227; Review, 1865, 297.— B. B. & B. Hist. N. Am. 



B. i, 1874. 344, pi. 16, flg. 8. 



Tactiyciueta bicoloi- CA^Bxy. 1S50.— Coves. Key, 1872, 113 Check Li.st, 1873, No. 112; B. 



N. W. 1874, 86; B. Col. Val. 1878. 413.— RiDGW. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 155. 

 Iridoprocne hicolor CouES, 2d Cheek List, 1882, No. 160, 

 Hirundo viridis VfTLS. Am. Orn. v, 1812, 49, pi. 38, fig, 2. 



Hab. Whole of temperate North America, breeding from table-lauds of Mexico to 

 Alaska and Great Slave Lake; wintering in southern United States. Cuba. Mexico, and 

 Guatemala; Bermudas. 



"Sp. Chak. Glossy metalUc bluish green above; entirely white beneath. Female 

 duller in color. Length, 6.25 inches; wing, .5.00; tail, 2.65. 



"Young bird dull sooty gray above, much like that of if. Ihalassina; but may readily 

 be distinguished by the feathers of the throat being pure white to their roots, instead of 

 having the concealed bases grayish as in that species." [Hist. N. Am. B.) 



The White-bellied SwaUow is an abundant species where there 

 are suitable places for the location of its nests. Some years ago 

 there were many large dead stumps standing in the water in a 

 stagnant pond connected with the Wabash Eiver immediately above 

 the dam at the Grand Rapids, near Mount Carmel. This pond 

 consisted of "back water" resulting from the building of the dam, 

 and the dead stumps were presumably the remnants of trees that 

 had been killed by flooding, since they grew so thickly as to leave 

 no doubt of their having once formed part of the adjacent forest. 

 These dead stumps and "snags" were perforated by countless wood- 

 pecker holes, and in these the White-beUied SwaUows had their 

 nests, as did also many pau-s of Carolina Chickadees and Pro- 

 thonotary Warblers. The Swallows were most numerous, however, 

 there being perhaps more than fifty pairs nesting there. In some 

 old elm trees, with dead tops, growing on the "commons" at Mount 

 Carmel, there were also, formerly, several pairs nesting. 



Regarding this species in Cook county, Mr. Nelson gives us the 

 following information on page 102 of his list : 



"Common resident. Arrives in large numbers March 20th. The 

 first of May only residents remain. Departs in September. This 

 species still keeps its primitive habit of nesting in deserted wood- 

 peckers' holes, hollow stumps, aud similar places, generally close 

 —14 



