LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



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part of the State according to Mr. Allen, it is the 

 least abundant of the swallows; and is exceedingly 

 careless in its selection. It has a breeding range 

 from the 38th degree to high northern latitudes. 

 Mr. Richardson found it breeding in trees on the 

 banks of the Mackenzies river; Dale mentions it 

 in Alaska, but it has not been observed in Green- 

 land. In this latitude it is chiefly a denizen of 

 woods, and builds almost exclusively in hollow 

 trees. 



Its nest is loosely built and is composed of soft 

 leaves, fine meadow-grasses, and^warmly lined with 

 an abundance of down and feathers. We have 

 never met with more than one nest in a season. 



Its departure for the West Indies, Central 

 America, and Northern South America, where it 

 winters, takes place early in September. 



The parents like those of the species last de- 

 scribed, are strongly attached to. each other, and 

 manifest the utmost devotion to their offspring. 



The eggs are a pure white, with a delicate pink- 

 ish tinge \vhen unblown, and unspotted; oblong- 

 oval in shape, and more pointed at one extremity 

 than the other. They measure .8 of an inch in 

 length and .54 in breadth. 



Pctrochclidon lunifrons, B ai r d . 



The Cliff Swallow has been but occasionally 

 observed within the limits of Philadelphia, but in 

 Northumberland Co., to the westward, it is nearly 

 as common as the Barn Swallow is with us. Its 



