40 NEW-YORK FAUNA BIRDS. 



THE BARN SWALLOW. 



HlRUNDO RUFA. 

 PLATE XXIX. FIG. 64. 



(STATE COLLECTION. Male and female.) 



Hirundo rufa, Gmelin. 



Chimney Swallow. Pebnant, Arct. Zoology, Vol. 2, p. 429. 



H. amtricana. Wilson, Am. Ornilh. Vol. 5, p. 34, pi. 38. figs. 1 and 2. 



H rufa. Bonaparte, Ann. Lye N. Y. Vol. 2. p. 64. Nuttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 1, p. C01, figure. 



II. rustica. Audubok, fol.pl. 173; Orn Biog. Vol.2, p. 413, and Vol. 4, p. 411. 



H. americana. Richardson, F. B. A. Vol.2, p. 329. 



H rustica. Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 1, p. 181, pi. 48 (male and female). 



H. rustica, Barn Swallow. GlRAUD, Birds of Long Island, p. 35. 



Characteristics. Steel-blue above ; beneath chesnut. Tail deeply forked ; the lateral fea- 

 thers narrow, and longer than the wings. Length, 7 inches. 



Description. General color above glossy blue. Forehead and beneath bright chesnut : 

 a band on the neck, glossy blue. Bill black. Irides dark brown. Legs dark purple. Tail 

 deeply forked : all the feathers, but the central pair, have a large white spot on the middle of 

 their inner webs. Female and young, paler beneath, and the exterior tail-feathers shorter. 



Length, 6" 5 -7-0. 



The Barn Swallow is one of our most common visiters. It makes its nest of pellets of 

 mud mixed with grass, and attached to the rafters or eaves of outhouses. It deposits from 

 4 to 6 white eggs, sparsely spotted with reddish brown. It destroys numerous noxious winged 

 insects. It has been observed in Mexico. It usually appears in Louisiana the latter end of 

 February, and in this State the latter end of March or beginning of April. This year, it did 

 not appear here until the ISth of April. It leaves this State about the end of August. It 

 has been observed as far north as 67° 50'. Peculiar to America, but confounded by many 

 with the H. rustica of Europe. 



