BARN SWALLOW. 421 



cessary as it is to the perfect understanding of this department 

 of our own ! 



The Barn Swallow is seven inches long, and thirteen inches 

 in extent; bill black; upper part of the head, neck, back, rump 

 and tail coverts, steel blue, which descends rounding on the 

 breast; front and chin deep chestnut; belly, vent, and lining of 

 the wing, light chestnut; wings and tail brown black, slightly 

 glossed with reflexions of green; tail greatly forked, the exte- 

 rior feather on each side an inch and a half longer that the next, 

 and tapering towards the extremity, each feather, except the 

 two middle ones, marked on its inner vane with an oblong spot 

 of white; lores black; eye dark hazel; sides of the mouth yel- 

 low; legs dark purple. 



The female differs from the male in having the belly and vent 

 rufous white, instead of light chestnut; these parts are also slight- 

 ly clouded with rufous; and the exterior tail feathers are shorter. 



These birds are easily tamed, and soon become exceedingly 

 gentle and familiar. I have frequently kept them in my room 

 for several days at a time, where they employed themselves in 

 catching flies, picking them from my clothes, hair, &c. calling 

 out occasionally as they observed some of their old companions 

 passing the windows. 



