146 SWALLOW. 
same, very short, with slanting tips; tertiaries, glossy blue; 
greater and lesser under wing coverts, buff white, darker than 
the breast, and ending on the edge of the wing in a border 
of black, brown, and white. ‘Tail, very much forked, the 
outer feather on each side almost five inches in length, being 
as long again as the others, and nearly black, with bronze 
reflections and pale brown edges, with an oblong patch on 
the inner web beginning near the base, and ending near the 
end of the second feather, which, as well as the three next 
feathers, which decrease in length, have each a rounded white 
patch on the inner web; the two middle feathers are the 
shortest of the whole, and dull black, without any white on 
either web. The white spots on the others form a sort of 
bar when the tail is expanded, but when it is closed they are 
not apparent—they shine through. Upper tail coverts, glossy 
blue; under tail coverts, buff white; legs, very short, and, as 
the toes, slender, and reddish grey; their upper surface is 
covered with small scales, underneath the latter are grey; 
claws, weak, sharp, and almost black. The Swallow moults 
in January and February. : 
The female resembles the male in plumage. The brown on 
the forehead is less extended than in the male; the black on 
the upper part of the breast is not so broad; the breast has 
less of the rufous and buff tinge; the back is not so lustrous, 
and the outer tail feathers are shorter than in the male bird. 
The young are at first thickly covered with grey down. 
They soon assume the garb of the adult bird, but are without 
the lustrous tint, and the feathers do not lhe so compactly 
together. Bill, yellow at the corners of the base; iris, brown. 
There is no chesnut on the forehead; the throat is paler and 
duller—the black band is but faintly indicated. The outer 
tail feathers are much shorter, not reaching to their proper 
length till after the first moult; the legs are reddish black; 
the toes beneath, grey. 
Buff varieties occasionally occur, as well as white ones, and 
also pied, or black and white; yellowish white, with a faint 
rufous tinge on the head and chin; and one silver grey one 
has been met with, with the same red on the head and throat, 
and one white above, with the chin and breast reddish white. 
One of a very light fawn-colour; another of a lighter fawn- 
colour, of various shades, the wings and tail being almost 
white on the upper surface; another with the body, head, and 
breast, buff-colour, the wings and tail white. Mr. Thompson 
