BANK SWALLOW. 539 



of the jireceiliu!! species, but iivit as sfcuutlv Imilt. Tungue, stout, not ven' triangular, horny and ([uite acu- 

 minate, with the tip cleft but not eiliated. The nestlings have fleshy, triangular tongues. 



Color. Adult. Above, band across the breast, under wing coverts and sides, slaty brown ; with the 

 wings darker and tips of the feathers of back hoary. The band usually extends down in a point on the 

 breast. Renuiiniug under portions, pure white. The young are similar. 



Nestlings, with a rufous washing above, on the band of the breast, sides and white of throat, which is 

 occasionally obscured by dusky. Sexes, alike. Irides, brown. Bill, black. F<'et, brown in all stages. 



OBSERV^ATIONS. 



Readily distinguished from the closely allied S. serripennis by the smaller size and white throat. The 

 tuft offeathers on the heel is always present, but is frequently represented by two or three feathers : there arc, 

 however, many more on others, and on some young birds taken at Grand Menan. they extend with very little 

 interruption along the back of the tarsus quite to the tibial joint. Bank Swallows are distributed through- 

 out North America during the breeding season, excepting possibly Florida, wintering in Mexico and the 

 West Indies. They are also found throughout the northern section of the Old World. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of seventeen specimens. — Length, 5.2."): stretch. l().7.'j; wing, ;>.L).5; tail, I.!).")-, 

 bill, .2;-) ; tarsus, .4-1 Longest specimen, r).4.i ; greatest extent of wings, ll.iO; longest wing, -1. "20 ; tail, 

 2.10; bill, .28; tarsus, .uO. Shortest specimen, o.OO: smallest extent of wdngs, 10.10; shortest wing, o.iM; 

 tail, 1.75; bill, .23 ; tarsus, .42. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, place<l in holes formed in banks of earth, composed of dried grass, lined with feathers. They are 

 very shallow. Dimensions, external diameter, 5 inches, internal, 4 ; thickness, 1 inch. Ecxis, from four to 

 ■six in number, oval in form, and j)ure white in color. Dimensions, from .70 by .4.5 to .UO by .40. 



HABITS. 

 xVltliouo'li Audubon states that the Bank Swallow is abundant in Kiorida, duriuij: the 

 ■winter, yet I have never seen it in the state at that sea-son. It arrive.s about thu first of 

 April, but I liave not found it at all couinion and do not 

 think that any ever remain to breed. These are the last 

 of all the Swallow*! to make their appearance in New .»r««a«»»- 



England, arriving about the middle of May. They then J^^- "^ 



quickly repair to some sandy bank and beoin to dig 

 burrows in which to jilace their nests. The3' excavate the V ^ -<■>'•' 



holes with their feet, aided by their bills, and although j^*' 



these members are seemingly weak the bird.s manage to // 1 ' r n n i \ W 



^et on quite rapidly, often penetrating a Imnk tothedej)tli // M IJ 'X-J-J \\\ 



of three or four feet in a few days. These birds are highly *^ ^ 



gregarious, and from live lunidred to a thousand ])airs may 



he found breeding in a favorable locality. They are (|uite Fio. (i('>. Head and tail of Adult 



4.1 ■ J. • I , , 'i * ri i- Bank Swallow, 



numerous in tlie interior, out seem to have a iirediJectJon 



for the coast, ami will even inhabit islands ; in factv I found 



n small colony nesting on a lonely islet, one of the Magdalen group, called Sliagsi; Kock, 



which stands in the midst of the (iulf of St. LaAvrence, mcn-e than a hundred miles from 



the mainland. This R)ck rose abru2)tly from the water to the height of ninety feet, but 



