532 BAHAMA SWALLOW. 



them tliiit it was iinpossililf to (lischiir<:e a gun in any (liicctinn witliout killing one or 

 more. I always imagined that the great ([uaiitity of iiiseet-i which oecur near the salt 

 water in the latter part of summer was the CmUhl' of this vast cjncDurse, until I discovered 

 another reason. I was walking about the hills near the oast oae dxy in August when I 

 observed large numbers of White-bellied Swallows liovering over some bayberry bushes 

 (Mvrica cerifera), which grow abuiidintly ill this sji;tii)n. Curious to know what they 

 were doing I shot several, and was much surprised to find their crops and stomachs filled 

 with the aromatic berries. ■ This frnit is ai)i)ut the size of niigrouud black peppers, and is 

 coated with a waxy substance, of which the bayberry-tallow is made. This was formerJv 

 used for manufacturing candles ; indeed, it is now employed for this purpose in some 

 sections of the countr}'. I have since taken many specimens and found that it is a 

 confirmed habit of this species to feed on the bayberry. An examination of the fruit in 

 the process of digestion shows that only the outer waxy covering is consumeil ; tlie inner 

 or harder portion being voided. It is probable that this substance is highly nutritious, as 

 the birds become very fat from feeding upon it. The great mass of White-bellied 

 Swallows depart early in September, but a few remain later than any other membeis of 

 the family. The last straggler, however, disappears liy the middle of the month. 



TACHYCINETA CYANEOVIHIDES. 

 Bahama Swallow. 



Ilinindo i-yancovirides, Bryant, Pro. Boston Soc. ISiat. Ills. Vol. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Ch. Size, rather small, about that of the Ronf!;h-\vin;.^e(l Swallow (S. scrripennis). Bill, short, 

 trianjiular in form, being as wide at base across nostrils as it is long ftom nostrils to tip. e.xeeedingly flat, 

 not being as deep at nostrils as one half the distance from nostrils to tip. Tarsus, equal in length to the 

 middle toe and claw, naked to the heel below. Wings, long and very pointed, the difference between the 1st 

 and 4th quill being 1.10 inches ; in a larger bird, however, this only amounts to 1.00. The ends of the outer 

 feathers are quite pointed, beginning to taper .7.") from the tip. They are slightly falcate, that is. the shaft 

 turns a little inward and the outer web narnnvs toward the tip for about .2;"). Tail, deeply forked, the 

 difference between the oiiter feathers and the central being 1.00. Outer quill of outer feather not narrowing 

 toward the tip but simply rounded at the e.xtreme termination, the inner web, however, begins to narrow at 

 1.20 from the termination and then gradually tapers to about .10 of the tip, where it suddenly rounds to the 

 shaft. All the other feathers taper somewhat on the inner webs, the inner, however, very slightly. 



The sternum presents all the peculiarities of the genus. In the present example the marginal 

 indentations are shallow, not equalling in depth tlie height of the keel. The coracoids are short, much 

 shorter than the tip of the keel, which is much higher than one half the width of the sternum. The costal 

 processes are exceedingly well developed. 



Tongue, short, triangular, .10 by .25, and slightly bifid at extreme tip. Larynx, 1.2,5. being slightly 

 flattened. There are six pairs of laryngeal muscles, including the sterno trachealis, which however, is very 

 slight, and the other muscles are not especially well developed. The tymj>aniform membrane, short, 

 provided with a singular lateral membrane. Os transversale present, but the semiluna membrane is not 

 well developed. 



Heart, small, .40 by .25. not very pointed. Right lobe of liver, considerably exceeding left in size. 

 Proventriculus. short, provided wich simple oval glands arranged in a zonular band, .25 wide. Oesophagus, 

 dilated laterally into a crop. Stomach, rather elliptical in form, .GO by .45 by .35 ; walls very thin, .08 ; lined 

 with a smooth, not much wrinkled yellow membrane. The duodenum is short, about 1.00 long, enclosing 



