3G4 BinDB OF ILLINOIS. 



First prlnmry lonccBt. Li-kk cuvitciI liy the imki-<l Hklii. without m-utelln' or fi-utlicrs, 

 TiirsuK Innifi-r llwiii mlililli' toe. LiitiTiil toi's i-nmil. nciirly an lonK at* tin- iiiiiMlo. HlnJ 

 t<M' HCnrocly vi-rMutllc. or i|ulli' poKtorlor: iiu'liidlnt; I'liiw. Ii'Hb thuii Oie mlildle iintorlor 

 without it. ToiiH RlfiuliT; cliiwH luoilcrttti'. Ffuthi-rs of the base of the bill not extend- 

 ing iH'Vonil thc> licKiuiiliii: of Iho uoslrllH." (Ilisl. .V. Am, li.) 



This genus has numerous representatives in tropical America, 

 while in the western United States, especially the Pacific coast, 

 occurs the C. vaitxii (Towns.), a species alhed to but quite distinct 

 from the C. pchujica. 



Cheetura pelagica (Linn.) 



CHIMNEY SWIFT. 



Popular synonyms. Chimney Swullow; Chimney Sweep. 



JliniiiiliJDrUiuiia LiNN. S. N. ed. 10. 1. 1758. 192. 

 Clitetura pelagica B. B. & R. Hist. N. Am. B. 11. 1874, 432. pi. 4fi. fig. 7.-COUE8, li. N. W. 



1874. 267. 

 llirutitlo pela.ioia Linn. S. N. cd. 12. i. 1T66. S45.— WiLs. Am. Orn. v, 1812. 48, pi. .'Rt. l\u. I. 

 Cupaehm pela.igiu!) Bp. 1828.— NuTT. Mun. I, 1832. 609.— AUD. Orn. Biog. 11. ISK. :i2".t: v. 



1839, 419, pi. 158. ^ 



Cli(etuia pela.ioia Steph. 1825.— Aud. Syuop. 1839, 33: B. Am. 1, 184U, 104. pi. 44.-BA1BD. 



B. N. Am. 1855. 144; Cat N. Am. B. 1859, No. 109.— OouKS, Key, ISTi, 183; Cheek List. 



1874, No. 271. 

 Ch(etura petasgica RiDOW. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 361.— CoUES, 2d Check List, 1882, 



No. 405. 



Had. Eastern United States and British Provinces. Winter quarters unktiotrn. 



Sp. Chab. .\1iovo dark sooty grayish, paler on rumpand upper tail-coverts, and with 

 a faint greenish gloss: wiuRs darker than back. Beneath lighter sooty gray, the ehln 

 and throat much paler. Bill black: iris brown; foet livid grayish. Total length, 6.25-5.40; 

 extent. 12.30; wing, 5.0O-5.20; tail. 1.90-2.15. 



This Swift, the only species inhabiting eastern North America, 

 is abundant throughout the country, and its general habits are so 

 well kno^\^l as to make special mention of them in this connection 

 superfluous. One interesting fact connected with the Chimney 

 Swift may however be alluded to, viz., the circumstance that its 

 winter home is absolutely unkno^^•n to ornithologists. No specimens 

 taken at any locality south of the Gulf coast have been recorded, 

 while no one seems to have ever seen one anywhere in the 

 United States in winter. It has been asserted by some WTiters 

 that it passes the \Wnter in a state of inanition or toi-pidity, 

 many hundreds or thousands of them hibernating together, like 

 bats, in hollow trees. IJut this statement requires verification. 

 Chimney Swifts are, however, exceedingly gregarious except when 

 nesting, it being a common sight, in nearly all parts of the coun- 



