BIRDS OF THE VICINITY OF NEW YORK CITY 175 



♦Scarlet Tanager {Piranga crythromclas). A common summer resident, 

 arriving early in May and remaining until about October i. (See group, third 

 floor). 



Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra). Eastern United States, breeding from 

 Florida to southern New Jersey, wandering casually to Nova Scotia, and winter- 

 ing in Central and South America. This species is of rare and irregular occur- 

 rence in this vicinity. (Hendrickson, Auk, i, 1885, p. 290; Dutcher, Auk, III, 

 1886, p. 412; XIX, 1902, p. 291 ; V, 1888, p. 181 ; Mearns, Auk, VII, 1890, p. 55; 

 Braislin, Auk, XIX, 1902, p. 147). 



Family HIRUNDINID.E. Swallows. 



♦Purple Martin (Prague siibis) . This bird breeds in colonies and is of local 

 distribution during the breeding season. It was formerly not uncommon in the 

 vicinity of New York City, but the English Sparrows have taken possession of 

 its nesting-houses, and at present it is found in but few places. 



♦Cliff Swallow; Eave Swallow (Petrochelidon lunifrons). Like most of the 

 Swallows it nests in colonies, and in this region generally places its mud nests 

 beneath the projecting eaves of a barn. It appears to be less common during 

 the summer than it was twenty or more years ago, but is a common migrant 

 particularly in the fall. According to Mearns, it arrives as early as April 16. 

 (See group, second floor). 



♦Barn Swallow (Hirundo crythrogastcr) . A common summer resident and 

 abundant fall migrant. It arrives about April 20 and remains until October i. 



♦Tree Swallow (Iridoprocne bicolor). Arrives from the south early in 

 April. There are a few recorded instances of its breeding near New York City, 

 but, generally speaking, it passes northward to more distant nesting grounds. 

 July I the birds begin to return from the north, making their home in the 

 marshes of the Hackensack, where, by July 20, they may be found in countless 

 numbers. In the morning they leave their roosts in the "cat-tails" and fly out over 

 the adjoining country to feed. At night they return. Their numbers increase 

 until about September i, then decrease, and by October 20 only a few strag- 

 glers remain. 



♦Bank Swallow {Riparia riparia). A locally common summer resident, 

 breeding in colonies where the conditions are favorable. It arrives about May 

 I and remains until October. (See group, second floor). 



Rough-winged Swallow (Stclgidopteryx serripennis). This Swallow is 

 locally common in the Lower Hudson River Valley, at Riverdale (Bicknell), 

 Hastings-on-the-Hudson (Rowley), Sing Sing (Fisher) ; at Highland Falls, 

 which seems to be near the northern limit of its range in the Hudson Valley, 

 it is a rare summer resident (Mearns). I have seen it near Ramapo, N. Y., 

 and with J. Dwight, Jr., found a small colony breeding at Port Jervis, N. Y. It 

 breeds ne^r New Haven, Connecticut, in small numbers, and is rare as far north 

 as Hartford (Sage). On Long Island it is of rare and irregular occurrence 

 (Dutcher). 



