440 OKNITDOLOGY. 



llinist fioin tlu' eiitraiice to his nest, lie entertained his mate witli litiiiid 

 ■warliHnys, varied by sweet cadences, his throat swelhny and vil)ratiny 

 with tlic vohune ot" his song. 



rETEOCni<:LI]JON LUNIFllONS. 

 Cliif §wiiElo\v. 



Jllniiido luni/ronn, Say, Long's Exped., IF, 182.'3, 47.— lUiiiD, 15. N. Am., IS.jS, 



;]()!) ; Catal., 1859, No. 22G.— COOPEU, Oru. Cal., 101. 

 Felrochclidon lunifrons, Sclatek, Cat. Am. B., 1802, 40.'— Baird, liuview, LSO.l, 



2SS.— CouES, Key, 1872, 114; Clieck List, 187.}, No. 114; B. N.W., 1S74, 8S. 



— B. B. & R., Hist. N. Am. B., 1, 1874, 334, pi. XVI, 13.— Henshaw, 1875, 21.j. 



Tlie first land-bird observed after arriving at San Francisco, was this 

 familiar and widely-difiiised species, multitndes of which were observed (<• 

 swarm about certain old buildings along with smaller numbers of Purple 

 Martins {Proguc suhis). It was also noticed along every portion of our 

 route across the Great Basin, especially in the vicinity of rivers or lakes, 

 or at the settlements, whether large or small. The species niay be consid- 

 ered the most abundant one of the family throughout the West, the next 

 in (irder being the AVhite-bellied and liough-winged Swallows {TdcJ/i/cijtctd 

 Ui-o'or and Stclyidoptcriix serripcnnis). \n localities most remote from settle- 

 ments it of course built its nest only on the face of overhanging cliffs, but 

 if near a settlement, any large building, as a barn or church, was almost 

 siu'c to be selected ; in either case, vast numbers congregating together and 

 iixing their peculiar gourd-shaped nests side by side or upon each other, the 

 same as in the east. It Avas not observed to build in ai»y other way, and 

 it is ])robable that the nesting-habits of this species are less variable than 

 llinse of its kindred, excepting, perhaps, the connnon Barn Swallow {Iliniiulo 

 liDrrconiin^, which differs chiefly in selecting caves or the interior of dwell- 

 ings, and in being not gregarious. 



Lht of spcdmcns. 



852, $ ad; East numboklt Mountains, Nevada, July 22, ISCS. G— ILM— (?)— .".a. 

 r.ill, deep l)laek ; interior of luoiitli, pinicisb-dusky ; iri.s, dark elaret-brown ; tarsi and 

 toes, dark liorn -color. 



«71, v^<x (1) ; Hast Humboldt Mountains, August 25, 1808. Nest attaebed to .side 

 of a ratter, underneath roof of a shed, at raucbe. 



