Across the Fields. 



229 



white eggs are laid, which are nearly three quarters of an inch long and about 

 half an inch broad. 



These Swallows are found througfhout the United States at larg-e. In 

 the area under consideration they are found as far north as Connecticut and 

 Southern Minnesota, breeding locally from these points, southward into Mex- 

 ico. They winter in the Tropics. 



The Bank Swallow is a smaller bird than the Rough-winged Swallow, 

 about five inches and a quarter in length. They are uniform dull grayish 

 brown above, darkest on the head and wings and lightest 

 on the rump. The throat and lower parts in general are 

 white. There is a broad band in color like the upper parts 

 across the breast and continuous with an area of the same color on the sides. 

 Immature birds are much like the adults but have the feathers of the shoul- 

 ders and the rump edged with buffy or grayish white. 



Bank Swallow. 



Clivicola riparia (Linn.). 



BANK SWALLOW. 



These birds are gregarious, breeding locally in suitable localities where 

 sand banks afford the places adapted for their burrows. In such locations 

 many birds form breeding colonies. The nest is a loose structure of grasses 

 and feathers at the bottom of a burrow two or three feet deep excavated by 

 the birds. The eggs vary from four to six in number and are white in color. 

 They are nearly seven tenths of an inch long and a little less than half an inch 

 broad. The Bank Swallow has much the same distribution in Eastern North 

 America as the Rough-winged Swallow, but extends farther north. The 



