I. BICOLOR : WHITE-BELLIED SWALLOW. 



183 



WHITE-BELLIED SWALLOW. 



Iridoprocne BICOLOR { V.) Coucs. 



Chars. Lustrous steel-green above, pure white below ; bill and feet 

 black ; tail simply forked. White ones have been seen. Length, 

 about 6.00 ; extent, 13.00 ; wing, 4.50-5.00; tail, 2.50. 



A common summer resident, and more equably dis- 

 tributed over New England than the Barn Swallow, 

 as it is less dependent upon man for breeding places, 

 and less gregarious during the nesting season. Though 

 the White-bellies often 

 accept the boxes set up 

 for their accommodation, 

 it is not always easy to 

 induce them to occupy 

 such artificial retreats, 

 and in some places they 

 still refuse to modif}' their 

 primitive habits of breed- 

 ing in natural excava- 

 tions of trees and stumps. 

 Sometimes they compromise on a hole in a post or 

 fence. They are consequently found in remote and 

 secluded woods and swamps, as well as about the 

 habitations of man ; and display a certain taste for 

 aquatics in frequently choosing " stubs " standing in 

 the water for nesting-places, in their immense autum- 

 nal gatherings in the salt marshes of the coasts, and 

 in being very numerous about ponds and other fresh 

 water away from houses. They reach New England 

 somewhat in advance of the Barn Swallows, coming 

 in full force early in April ; and in the fall they linger 



Fig. 44. — White-bellied Swallow. 

 (Natural size.) 



