Descriptive List 261 



L., 5.85-7.60; W., 4.50-4.95; T., 2.20-4.15. The difference in total length and in length of 

 tail depends mainly on the degree of development of tlie two outer tail-feather.s in different birds, 

 only fully adult males having the scissor-like sliape fuUy developed, while in young males and 

 females the tail is much shorter and less forked. 



Range. — Whole of North America in .summer; wintering in Central and South America. 



Range in North Carolina. — Whole State during migrations, only known at present to nest in 

 Watauga County in the mountains, and in a few places along the coast. 



Fig. 209. Baen Sw.\llow. 



The Barn Swallow, the only North American species having a real "swallow- 

 tail," is a rather common spring migrant in our State during the greater part of 

 April and May. Again it is seen in August and the first half of Septemljer. It 

 usually flies in large flocks, particularly over marshy ground or above water, and 

 not infrequently is found in company with other species of the family. 



Thus far we have three breeding records for the State. One comes from Pea 

 Island, where Bishop and Pearson have ))oth found it breeding. At Wrightsville 

 two nests with young were discovered under the eaves of a summer hotel in July, 

 1903, by Pearson. He and H. H. Brimley observed several on the Cape Fear 

 River, fifteen miles above Southport, in June, 1909. Away from the coast our only 

 breeding record is furnished by Sherman, who found a pair nesting in a barn at 

 ^'alle Crucis, Watauga County, in late June, 1909. 



The nest is a bowl-shaped structure, composed of mud, lined with feathers. It is 

 open above and is placed on a rafter inside a barn, or in similar situations. The eggs 

 are white, spotted with reddish browai, chiefly near the larger end. Size .75 x .55. 

 Four to six are laid. 



Genus Iridoprocne (Coues) 



x; 



258. Iridoprocne bicolor (VieiU.). Tree Swallow. 



Description. — Lustrous blue-green above, underparts pure white. Extreme measitfements 

 of 26 Raleigh specimens: L., 5.60-6.00; W., 4.50-4.85; T., 2.20-2.50. 



Range. — Whole of North America, wintering more or less in the extreme southern States, 

 and in the West Indies and Central America. 



Range in North Carolina. — A common spring migi'ant in the State from Chapel HiU eastward, 

 at times a winter visitor along the coast, and sometimes seen in the fall migrations. 



The Tree or White-bellied Swallow, easily distinguished from all our other swal- 

 lows by the pure white under]3arts, is a common spring migrant in the eastern half 

 of the State. Here it has been noted from March 12 to May 20 in sirring, and in 



