THE CHIMNEY-SWALLOWS. 33 1 



nest at the end of a tunnel of considerable length. Thus its 

 breeding haunts are determined to a great extent by the pre- 

 sence or absence of suitable banks for the drilling of the tun- 

 nels. The sandy banks are naturally soft, and are pierced 

 with numerous holes, close together, for the Sand-Martin is 

 gregarious in its nesting. In the autumn large numbers col- 

 lect together on telegraph-wires, where they sit in company 

 with Swallows and House- Martins, and they also roost in the 

 reed-beds of the Thames Valley in great flocks. 



Nest. — A very rough little foundation of grass and straw, with 

 a few large feathers for lining. It is placed at varying depths 

 in the sandy bank occupied by the bird, the tunnels varying 

 in length from two feet to three feet, or even more. 



Eggs. — Pure white, with very little gloss. Axis, 07-075 

 inch; diam., 0-5-0-55. 



THE CHIMNEY-SWALLOWS. GENUS HIRUNDO. 



Hirundo, Schaeffer, Elem. Orn., Genus 100, pi. xl. (1779). 



Type, H. rustica (Linn.). 



The Swallows differ from the Sand-Martins and House- 

 Martins in having the tail much longer and the outer tail- 

 feathers elongated, with a marked indentation on the inner 

 web. 



The members of the genus Hirit7ido are found everywhere 

 in the world, and about forty species are known. Those in- 

 habiting the tropics are resident, while those which are 

 characteristic of the northern and southern portions of the 

 globe are migratory. 



I. THE CHIMNEY-SWALLOW. HIRUNDO RUSTICA. 



{Plate XXVI II.) 



Hirundo rustica^ Linn., Syst. Nat., i., p. 343 (1766); Macg., Br. 

 B., iii., p. 558 (1840) ; Dresser, B. Eur., hi., p. 477, pi. 160, 

 fig. 1 (1875); Newt. ed. Yarr., ii., p. 340 (1880); B. O. U. 

 List Br. B., p. 42 (1883); Seeb., Br. B., ii., p. 171 (1884); 

 Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus., x., p. 128 (1885); Lilford, 

 Col. Fig. Br. B., pt. iii. (1886); Saunders, Man., p. 155 



(1889). 



