110 ASH-BELLIED SWALLOW. 



posts, or dove-cots; and if they take possession of 

 the latter place, no pigeon dare set a foot on that 

 tier where their nest is situated, or the Martins 

 would soon despatch it. 



From these birds flying so much like the 

 Swift, it has been said by travellers that bird in- 

 habited North America, but that is not the fact : 

 they are very fond of wasps, bees, and large 

 beetles j and will attack crows, hawks, and eagles, 

 with great spirit and audacity, like the common 

 Martin : their note, peuo peuo peuo, is very loud 

 and musical, but is generally succeeded by others 

 lower and guttural. 



ASH-BELLIED SWALLOW. 

 (Hirundo cinerea.) 



Hi. nigra nitens subtus cinerea, rectricibus margine griseo^flavi- 



cantibus. 

 Shining-black Swallow, beneath cinereous, with the edges of 



the quills yellowish grey. 

 Hirundo cinerea. Gmel. Syst. Nat. 1. 1026. Lath. Ind. Orn. 



2. 578. 20. 



Hirundo peruviana. Briss. 2. 4Q8. 6. 

 La petit Hirondelle noire ventre cendrc. Bvff. Hist. Nat. 



Ois. 6. 673. 

 Ash-bellied Swallow. Lath. Gen. Syn. 4. 573. 20. 



ABOUT five inches in length : irides dark brown : 

 upper parts of the plumage (the quills and tail 

 excepted, which are dark ash-colour, and mar- 



