500 LAND BIRDS 
Baby Buntings are very like their newly hatched 
sparrow cousins. The thin hair-like down on their heads 
and shoulders is soon replaced by soft brownish feathers ; 
the broad flat bills take form and comeliness; their 
funny little elbows become hidden in the wing plumage, 
and every day sees them stretching up to fly. They 
usually leave the nest when fifteen days old unless the 
début is hastened by meddlesome fingers. Up to this 
time they have been fed on insects, by regurgitation 
at first, then fresh food is given them, the frequency of 
meals depending somewhat on the location and the time 
of day. arly in the morning, after a night of fasting, 
all young birds are fed as frequently as it is possible for 
the parents to bring the food ; and young reared upon 
insect diet seem to require more frequent meals than 
those whose bill of fare consists of seeds. In the case 
of one brood of young Buntings, the meals were brought 
every eight minutes from four to five A.M., until their 
little crops swelled out like marbles. Through the semi- 
transparent skin I could see enough of the contents to 
be sure of their menu after they were five days old. 
613. BARN SWALLOW. — Hirundo erythrogastra. 
Famity. — The Swallows. 
Length: 5.75-7.75. 
Adults: Tail forked for about half its length, outside feather tapered to 
point. Upper parts glossy metallic blue; forehead dark brown ; wings 
and tail changeable purple and green ; outer two tail-feathers, marked 
with large whitish spots; under parts rusty brown, darkest on throat. 
Young: Fork of tail shorter ; upper parts lighter in color; under parts 
dull brownish buffy. 
