260 BlEDS OF XOKTH CAROLINA 



and taken to tlic ways of civilization. The nests are composed of leaves, grasses, 

 rootlets, mud, tw-igs, rags, or any other convenient materials. The eggs arc four to 

 six in number, laid in May or June. They are pure glossy white; size .98 x .65. 



While a very useful insectivorous bird, it flocks in such numbers during the fall 

 migrations as sometimes to become a great nuisance. At Wrigiitsville, near Wil- 

 mington, a few years ago, they gathered to roost in such enormous numbers in late 

 sununer as almost to empty the neighboring summer hotel. A similar circumstance 

 was reported from Mount Airy, Surry Coimty, in September, 1885 and 1880. 

 Probably 200,000 have roostctl of recent years in a grove in the center of the town 

 of Greensl)oro, ( iuilford County. The last birds of this species leave the State for 

 their winter homes in Mexico during the month of September. 



Genus Petrochelidon (Cab.) 

 256. Petrochelidon lunifrons lunifrons (Say.) Cliff Swallow. 



Description. — Lustrous steel blue; forehead, sides of licad, throat and rump different shades 

 of chestnut; a bhie spot on breast; Ijelly whitish. L., 6.01; W., 4.35; T., 2.01. 

 Range. — Noi-tli .Vmerica in summer; in winter Central .-Vmerica. 

 Range in \orlk Carolina. — So far, known only as a migrant in various portions of the State. 



Fig. 208. Cliff Swallow. 



At ]:)resent the Cliff or Eaves Swallow is known only as a spring transient at 

 Raleigh, where it has been observed in six different years between April 26 and 

 May <J; at AVcaverville it was found by Cairns between April 15 anil May 1, in 

 1892 and 1893; and at Lake Ellis in Craven County, where C. S. Brimley saw a 

 single specimen on May 8, 1906. 



The Cliff Swallow is not very different in its liabits from other swallows, its 

 chief peculiarity consisting in the fact that it l)uilds a gourd-shaped nest of pellets 

 of nuid, fastening it against the face of overhanging cliffs or underneath the eaves 

 of buildings. The eggs resemble those of the Barn Swallow in being spotted, while 

 those of all our other species are pure white without markings. Size .80 x .55. 



Genus Hirundo (Linn.) 

 257. Hirundo erythrogastra (Bodd.). B.vrn Swallow. 



;ep chestnut; t; 



specimens: 



Description.— Lnstrous steel blue, huffy below; forehead and throat deep ehestnut; tail-feathers 

 with white spots, under tail-coverts rufous. Extreme meixswements of 21 Raleigh 



