CLIFF SWALLOW. 537 



jiuiiig the luiiuite insects ami pcrl'orniiiiii- various rapid and edi'u;aiit aerial cvulutions^ Of 

 nil the members of this familv which inliabit our eoiuitrv, the Barn Swallows are the most 

 graceful and have the most deliLiiitful song All thiouuli tlie lonu;. summer days they flv 

 over the green meadows and al)out the farndiouse. twittering loudly and continuously with 

 J)uhhling, ri]ipling notes which sound as if tlie l)irds were brimming over with happiness 

 ;xnd glee. Dai-ting througli the wide doors they fill the capacious l)arn with their 

 enchanting melody as they warble (o their mates who sit in the .snu<i; nests which are 

 neatly fastened to the strong beams overhead. The females jieer out of their feather-Hned 

 structures and gaze (juietly upon the farmers who are busily engaged in filling the broad 

 bins with frasiTunt new mown ha \'. 



All this forms a well known pictine of New England rustics lilc in ufidsununer, uo 

 feature of whi(;li is more prominent and enjoyable than the <"oming and coino-of the Barn 

 Swallows. Tliese birds lay their egirs in earl V June, and hite in July the vouno- emerge 

 from the nests and perch on fences or Imildinirs. Soon they follow their parents throuo-h 

 the air and are often fed by them without alighting, the two coming together breast to 

 breast with fluttering wings, wbiMi the offspring i-eceiye the supply of dipterous insects 

 ■which the parent has collected in its capacious mouth; then thcv (piickly separate. As 

 autumn approaches, the Barn SwaHows assemble on the coast and spend a .short season 

 tiding over the UKU-shes, but b\- the first wet'k in Sei)tember depart for the soutL None, 

 •as far as my knowledge extends, winter in Floi'ida or breed there, but simply pass through 

 the state in the spi-ing and fall migrations. 



On March 3(Jth 1888, the Barn Swallows made their appearance on the island of 

 Ca\'man Brae. They heciime common in a few days and remained about this island or 

 the neighljoring island of Little Cayman until April 22d. In order to ha^e reached the 

 northern portion of the United States by tlie last week in April or even the fii-st of May 

 3it which time they are due there, these Swallows must ha\e tlown o\er the interyenin*' 

 hundreds of miles of .sea and land very rai)idly. 



GENUS IV. PETROCIIELIDON. THE CLIFF SWALLOWS. 



Gen. Ch. Bill, rather shorter and broader than that in the two last genera. Tail, short and nearly 

 •even. Feathers about the bill rather more bristly than in other groups, especially in the angle of the lower 

 mandible. Feet, much as in those of Chelidou. We have a single species within our limits. Sexes, 

 similar. 



PETROCHELIDOfSl LUNIFRONS. 

 Cliff Swallow. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Ch. Size, medium. Form, robnst. Color. Adult. Above, and spot and tliroat, steel blue, 

 about as in the Barn Swallow, slightly streaked on the back with ashy, and there is an ashy collar on back of 

 neck. Forehead, creamy but}'. Rump, pale chestnut. Sides of head and throat, deep chestnut. Beneath, 

 white, slightly tinged with ashy on breast, sides and flanks. Under wing and ujipcr and under tail covei-ts, 

 ashy brown. Bill, black. Iris and feet, brown. Young. Similar, but duller. 



