42 BRITISH BIRDS. 
Bird. Length 5 in. The adult male has the upper-parts 
black, with greyish rump and white 
forehead. Under-parts white. Tail 
all black or black with more or less 
white on the outer feathers. A white 
patch on the wing. The female is 
olive-brown above, including the fore- 
head. Under-parts buffish with white 
throat and belly. Wing patch whitish 
or buff. The young are like those of 
the pied-flycatcher, but may be dis- 
Fig. 46. tinguished by their whitish or buff 
wing patches. 
Nest, Place: generally in a hole in a tree or building. 
Materials: leaves, moss, grass, &c., lined with grasses, rootlets, 
hair, feathers, wool. 
Eggs. Usually 6-7. Pale blue. Occasionally speckled red. 
Av. size, °68 x ‘52 in. Laying begins latter half of May or 
early June. One brood. 
(18) Family : Hirundinide—Swallows and Martins 
80. Swallow Chelidon rustica rustica(Linneeus); Hirundo rustica 
Linneus]. Widely distributed summer visitor. Bird of passage. 
Bird. Length 7‘5in. Often confused with the house-martin ; 
but the latter is at oncedistinguished, 
when in flight, from the swallow by 
the shorter tail and wings and the 
broad white patch on the lower part 
of the back, just above the root of 
the tail. Other marked differences 
are the chestnut-red on the forehead 
and throat of the swallow, and the 
white feathered legs and toes of the 
house-martin. (See also nest differ- 
ences.) The swallow’s upper plumage 
is glossy steel blue. The tail dull 
metallic green, with white spots, and 
a long streamer on each side. (See 
Fig.) Under-parts mostly buffish with a blue band bordering 
the chestnut of the throat. The young are distinguished by 
the absence of the tail streamers. 
Nest. Place: usually under cover in a shed, porch, or cave. 
Also in chimneys, and all sorts of odd places. Shape either 
round and of varying depth, or like a half saucer, according to 
position. Material: mud mixed with grass stems and straw, 
and lined with grass and feathers. 
Fig. 47. 
