340 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



is limited to those portions where proper accommodation is found for 

 its nesting. 



It still retains its ancient habit of occupying holes in trees or 

 banks, and where these are absent the birds are unknown. 



In the fall, it is the first of the swallows to leave for winter- 

 quarters. 



GENUS CLIVICOLA FORSTER. 

 CLIYICOLA RIPARIA (LINN.). 



249. Bank Swallow. (616) 



Lustreless gray, with a pectoral band of the same ; other under parts, 

 white. Sexes exactly alike. Young : Similar, the feathers often skirted with 

 rusty or whitish. Length, 4|-4f ; wing, 3f -4 ; tail, 2. 



HAB. Northern hemisphere, in America, south to the West Indies, Central 

 America and Northern South America. 



Nest, a few hits of straw and some feathers placed at the end of a tunnel, 

 two to four feet deep, dug by the birds in a sand bank. 



Eggs, four to six, pure white. 



A common summer resident is the Bank Swallow, breeding abun- 

 dantly in suitable places all over the country. It arrives about the 

 end of April and leaves in September, both dates being dependent, 

 to some extent, on the weather. 



Near Hamilton this species is very abundant, a favorite nesting- 

 place being in the gravel bank which is cut through to form the 

 canal to Dundas. There are also many sand banks around the Bay 

 shore, perforated to an extent which shows that flocks of young ones 

 are raised there every summer. 



Dr. Wheaton, in the " Birds of Ohio," mentions that this species, 

 from being a common summer resident in the immediate vicinity of 

 Columbus, has become only a passing migrant in spring and fall. 

 This he attributes partly to the frequent disturbance of the nesting 

 places by freshets, and partly to the advent of the Rough-winged 

 Swallow, which, though comparatively a new species at Columbus, 

 is rapidly increasing in numbers. The Bank Swallows are sprightly 

 little birds, greatly attached to their homes, and we hope that 

 nothing will happen here to cause them to change their residence. 



This is another species which is common to Ontario and the 

 North- West, and is also found in Alaska. In the latter territory it 



