Cliff Swallow 73 



sea, their wing-evolutions are often a source of wonder, even 

 to the casual observer. While they secure their food on the 

 wing, they seem at times to skim through the air for the sheer 

 delight of flying. In some old barn, where the shadows 

 mingle with the subdued light, their constant twittering is a 

 familiar sound. Here they build their nests, which are of 

 mud and straw, lined with feathers, and plastered against the 

 side of a beam. The young on leaving the nest are able to 

 fly almost as well as the parents. Barn Swallows can be 

 distinguished from all others of the tribe by the long, 

 forked tail. 



Eggs, four to six, elongated, finely speckled with light 

 shades of brown. 



Cliff Swallow; Eave Swallow. — Petrochelidon 

 lunifrons. 6.00 



Fairly Common Summer Resident 



Field marks. — Cream-white bar across forehead; bright 

 chestnut throat, extending in narrow collar about neck; 

 black line down center of throat; rest of under parts 

 buffy; crown and back, black, showing lustrous violet in 

 strong light; wings and tail dusky; bright reddish-brown 

 patch on rump. 



When these birds sit in the entrances of their gourd-shaped 

 nests, the crown shows conspicuously like a little crescent moon ; 

 the square tail in flight distinguishes it from the Barn Swallow. 

 1 he Eave Swallow breeds here and there in this County under 

 the eaves of old barns and sheds, but it is more common 



