64 Capt. Blakistou on the Birds of the 



HiRUNDO LUNIFRONS. 



The Cliff Swallow is also given in the 'Fauna Bor.-Am.' and 

 by Mr. Ross on the Mackenzie ; and I observed it in considerable 

 numbers under the eaves of the buildings at Fort Pitt, on the 

 north branch of the Saskatchawan, in June. While travelling 

 over the prairie in the neighbourhood of Bow River, our party 

 came upon an immense granite-boulder, about 25 feet high, 

 standing alone on the plain. This had been taken advantage 

 of by the CliflP Swallow, the mud-formed nests of which were 

 clustered together in a mass. The steep cliffy banks of some 

 parts of the Saskatchawan River are also used by this bird for 

 nesting-places. 



41. HiRUNDO BICOLOR. 



My specimen {' Ibis,^ vol. iv. p. 4) was, I believe, the first re- 

 corded from the interior, as it is only mentioned as having been 

 observed in the ' Fauna Bor.-Am.^ Since that, however, Mr. 

 Ross has observed it on the Mackenzie, as far north as the Arctic 

 Circle. In 1858 the White-bellied Swallow was first seen by 

 myself at Fort Carlton, on the 23rd of April ; but I was told of 

 Swallows on the 21st. They were numerous early in May; and 

 on the 17th I found a great number of them congregated about a 

 small lake or pond entirely surrounded by old woods and willows, 

 with its edge margined with long grass. After a time the 

 whole congregation alighted on a couple of dead willow-bushes, 

 about eight feet from the ground. Approaching within shot, I 

 poured among the thickest lot my usual half-charge of small shot 

 and powder, which brought a number to the ground. I picked 

 up eight ; but, on account of the length of the grass, I have no 

 doubt I missed finding several. They alighted again in the same 

 manner twice, before I quitted the place. I skinned one, and 

 measured the whole ; they ranged between 5^ and 5| inches in 

 length, and from 4^ to 5 inches in the wing. I found these 

 birds common on the Saskatchawan during the whole summer, 

 and at the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains, near the inter- 

 national boundary, on the 7th of September. 



42. CoTYLE, sp. ? 



The specimen and eggs obtained by M.Bourgeau ('Ibis,' vol.iv. 



