302 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



FAMILY MICROPODID^E. THE SWIFTS. (Page 297.) 



Genera. 



a 1 . Tarsi and part of toes feathered, the hind-toe directed either forward or laterally, 



not backward. (Subfamily Micropodince.) Micropus. (Page 303.) 



a*. Tarsi and toes naked, the hind-toe directed backward. (Subfamily Chceturince.') 

 b l . Tail rounded, or even, the feathers usually with distinct spinous points; 



wing less than 5.50 Chaetura. (Page 302.) 



b 2 . Tail slightly forked, or emarginate. 



c 1 . Tail-feathers without spinous points; wing less than 7.00; no white 



collar Cypseloides. (Page 302.) 



c 2 . Tail-feathers with distinct, though small, spinous points ; wing 8.00 or 

 more; a white collar Hemiprocne. 1 



GENUS CYPSELOIDES STREUBEL. (Page 302, pi. LXXXIX., fig. 2.) 



Species. 



Adult : Uniform dusky or blackish, becoming more sooty grayish on head and 

 neck, the forehead more hoary. Young : Similar, but feathers bordered terminally 

 with whitish. Length about 7.00-7.50, wing 6.50-7.50, tail 2.30-3.00. Hab. 

 "Western United States (north to Colorado, Nevada, and British Columbia), and 

 south to Costa Rica ; Jamaica, Haiti, and other West India islands. 



422. C. niger (GMEL.). Black Swift. 



GENUS CH-ffiTURA STEPHENS. (Page 302, pi. LXXXIX.. fig. 3.) 



Species. 



COMMON CHARACTERS. Plain dusky, or dark sooty grayish, above, the wings 

 darker, the rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail usually paler ; lower parts plain sooty 

 grayish, darker posteriorly, paler (sometimes dull whitish or whitish gray) ante- 

 riorly. Or else, uniform sooty, the throat not paler (0. brunneitorques, 9), or black- 

 ish, with broad collar of rufous round neck (C. brunneitorques, $). 



a 1 . Throat distinctly paler than other parts ; male without rufous collar. 

 6 1 . Wing 5.00, or more. 



Length about 4.75-5.50, wing 5.00-5.25, tail (including spines) 1.90- 

 2.15. Nest a shallow half-saucer-shaped structure of dried twigs, 

 glued together with the bird's saliva, and with the same adhesive 

 substance fastened to the inside of a hollow tree (with the entrance 

 from above), a disused chimney, or similar place. Eggs 4-6, ellip- 



1 Hemiprocne NITZSCH, Pterylog. 1840, 123. Type, by elimination, Hirundo zonaris SHAW. 

 This genus includes two Mexican species the largest members of the family either of which may possibly 

 occur as a straggler within our southwestern border. 



