42 NEW-YORK FAUNA — BIRDS. 



The winter retreat of the Cliff Swallow is in Mexico, and perhaps farther south. Its ordi- 

 nary course of migration appears to have been along the Rocky mountains, and across high 

 northern latitudes to the Atlantic ; and from thence, for the last forty years, it has gradually 

 descended each successive year more to the south. In the course of years, it may become a 

 very common and generally distributed species throughout the Union. Unlike its congeners, it 

 has not yet followed the Atlantic coast in its northern migrations, but takes the course of the 

 vallies of the Mississippi and Ohio. Its return south is doubtless more direct ; but as this 

 must be very rapid, it has not yet been observed. In this Stale, its stay scarcely exceeds six 

 weeks ; appearing in the first week of June, and leaving the latter end of July. It breeds 

 with us, and its nest, composed of mud or clay with a narrow tubular neck, resembles a 

 coarse retort. The eggs 4-5, white spotted with brown. Until it approached the habita- 

 tions of man, these nests were agglutinated to the sides of overhanging rocks ; but now they 

 attach them boldly under the eaves of houses and out-buildings. Peculiar to America. 



(EXTRA-LIMITAL.) 



H. lhalassina. (Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 1, p. 186, pi. 49.) Above violet green; a line over the 

 eyes, cheeks and all beneath white. Tail emarginate, much shorter than the wings. Female : 

 Head and rump brown. Length, 41 inches. Rocky Mountains and Texas. 



H. serripennis. (Id. pi. 51.) Greyish brown above; lighter beneath. Tail nearly even. Outer 

 margin of first quill with the filaments curved into hooks. Closely allied to riparia. Length, 5} 

 inches. Southern Stales. 



FAMILY AMPELID&. 



Bill short, triangular, decurved at the tip ; the edges more or less distinctly notched. Roof 

 of the upper mandible concave, with three longitudinal ridges. Tongue horny, deeply 

 slit. Nostrils oval, partly concealed by bristly reversed feathers. Feet short, robust ; 

 claws long, curved, acute. Wings broad. Plumage silky. 



GENUS BOMBYCILLA. Brisson. 



Upper mandible with a distinct tooth. Three toes directed forward and one backward. Tarsus 

 with six scutellae. Wings with the spurious feathers very short ; the first and second quills 

 longest. Head crested. Adults with the tips of some or all of the secondaries, and occa- 

 sionally of the tail, terminated by small bright red appendages like sealingwax. 



Obs. This genus, as now restricted, comprises one species peculiar to this country, and 

 the other common to Europe and America. This latter has been only recently observed with 

 us, and is now increasing in numbers. 



