PROGNE SUBIS. 439 



Lkt of Kpecimcns. 



1104,<? ad.; Antelope Lsland, Great Salt Lake, Utah, June 4, ISC.O. ^—'l- I'M, 

 tarsi, anil toes, deep black ; iris, blown. 



Family III RUNDINIDiE— Swallows. 



PliOGNE SUBIS. 



Purple iTIartiii. 



nirundo sitbis, L:nn., Syst. Nat. (lOtli ed.), 17."*S, 102. 



I'royiw isiihi.s, Baiku, Review Am. B., ISO."), L'7t.— B. B. & R., Hist. X. Am. B., I, 



1874, 329, pi. XVI, figs. 7, 10.— IlnNSiiAW. 187.1, 2i;{. 

 Hh- undo purpurea, LiNN., Syst. Nat. (12tli ed.), 17(50, 344. 

 Pnxjne purpurea, BoiE, Isis, lS2(i, 971.— Baird, B. N. Am., IS.jS, ;?I4; Catal., 



1S.J9, No. 231.— CooPKR, Oin. Cal., 113.— Coles, Kev, 1872, 114 , Ciieck List, 



1873, Xo. 117 ; B. N.W., 1874, 91. 



In tliii more thickly-populated districts of ( California, the handsonui 

 Purple Mai-tiu has become, as it has long since in the Eastern States, 

 semi-domesticated, and almost entirely allured from its original haunts, the 

 forests, by the superior advantages afforded by the surroundings of civilized 

 man ; but in tlie more scantily-settled Interior it was found still retaining 

 its primitive habits.. In the cities of San Francisco and Sacramento it was 

 a very abundant species, while eastwai-d of the Sierra Nevada it was rare, 

 except among the aspen woods of the pine-region on certain of the higher 

 mountain ranges. In Carson City it was not common, while in Virginia 

 City but a single individual was seen, the date being June 18, 18G8. Among 

 the asi^ens of the Wahsatch, near Parley's Park, however, it was extremely 

 abundant, and nested in the deserted or captured excavations of the Ked- 

 naped Woodpecker {Splnjrapkits nucIiaUs\ most of which were bored into 

 tlie truidcs of living trees, these holes being freely shared with the Whito 

 bellied Swallows [■TacJijjciiictu hicolor). 



As a rule, the Swallows, although true Oscines, are not considered 

 singers; the present species, however, is at least one notable exception, since 

 it is a warl)U'r of high nieiit. Often have we reclined on some mo.ssy or 

 icrn-covcreil l)aiik bcneaili the aspen.s, and given respectful attention to tlio 

 perfoiinance of a \oIuble male Purple Martin, as, with glossy \iolet head 



