SWALLOWS AND MARTINS 



[ORDER: PdMtriformes. FAMILY: Hirundinidce] 

 PRELIMINARY CLASSIFIED NOTES 



[P. C. R. JOURDAIN. F. B. KIRKMAN. W. P. PYCRAPT. A. L. THOMSON] 



SWALLOW [t'hrlMon rfetiea (Linnaeus). Hirvndo rwtica, Linnaeus. 

 Chimney-swallow, barn- or house-swallow. French, hirondtlU dt chtminie ; 

 German, RaucJuchwalbe ; Italian, roruiint], 



I. Description. The swallow may be recognised at once by the steel-blue 

 colour of the upper surface and the deeply forked tail, showing oval white spots 

 when spread. (PL 73.) Length 7*5 in. [190 mm.]. In the adult male the metallic 

 steel-blue of the upper parts is relieved by a chestnut-red band across the forehead 

 and large oval white spots on the inner webs of the tail feathers, save only the 

 central pair, which have no spots, and the outer pair, which are of great length, 

 and have the spot drawn out to form a streak. The remiges and tail feathers differ 

 from the rest of the colouring of the upper surface in being of a dull, dark metallic 

 green. The throat, like the forehead, is of a dark chestnut-red, while across the 

 fore-breast runs a band of dark steel-blue, sometimes tipped with chestnut. The 

 rest of the under parts are of a rufous buff, save the under tail-coverts, which are 

 pale chestnut. The female is duller, and has a shorter tail, the outer pair of feathers 

 being much shorter ; the forehead has less chestnut, and the breast and abdomen 

 are paler. The juvenile plumage differs from that of the adult in being much 

 duller, the metallic lustre being but slightly developed. The outermost tail feathers 

 do not project beyond the tips of the wings, and the red on the forehead is but 

 feebly developed, while that on the throat is of a very pale chestnut. The band 

 across the fore-breast is of a dusky hue, tinged with chestnut, and without lustre : 

 the rest of the under parts are of a pinkish buff, darker on the under tail-coverts. 



[w. p. p.] 



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