BLACK AND WHITE SWALLOW. 105 



often extends two or three feet in a horizontal 

 direction : several of these holes are often within 

 a few inches of each other, and extend for a con- 

 siderable distance : at the extremity of this hole 

 its nest is placed; it is composed of fine dry grass, 

 lined with a few downy feathers, on which the 

 eggs, which are pure white and very transparent, 

 are placed; they are mostly five in number : the 

 young are hatched late in May: it occasionally 

 has two broods in the season, and will not always 

 take the pains to make a hole for its nest, but will 

 sometimes lay its eggs in a cavity of a quarry, or 

 a hole in a tree. 



The manners of this species are similar to those 

 of the common Martin, with which bird it often 

 associates, and flies over the water in pursuit of 

 insects : it has a low muttering voice. In some 

 parts of America they are so numerous amongst 

 the quarries and sand-banks as to appear like 

 swarms of bees round their hives. 



BLACK AND WHITE SWALLOW. 

 (Hirundo bicolor.) 



Ht. supra nigra, c&ruleo -ciridi versicolore, subtus nivea. 

 Swallow above black, changing to blue and green ; beneath 



snow white. 



Hirundo bicolor. Vieil. Ois. de VAmer. Sept. 1. 6l. 

 L'Hirondelle bicolor. Vieil. Ois. de VAmer. Sept. i. <5l. pi. 



31. 



