1891] MARYLAND ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 121 



Tachycineta bicolor (Viell.). White-bellied Swallow. 



This beautiful swallow arrives early in April. It is very 

 common and abundant during the spring, but is less so in the 

 summer ; the barn-swallow at that time being the more common 

 of the two. It leaves this region early in September, and appears 

 to be more attached to the water than the foregoing species. 



Progne subis (Linn.). Purple Martin. 



This is the largest, and, as far as the adult male is concerned, 

 the darkest colored of our swallows. It is common throughout 

 summer in open places, breeding near houses in boxes or other 

 contrivances made for its use by the people. We have observed 

 it as late as to near the middle of September. It delights to 

 perch in company with the barn and cliff swallows on the tele- 

 graph wires of the roads, now and then darting off and making 

 aerial evolutions, while the others clean their plumage or sing 

 in plain and simple notes composed of guttural sounds. 



Petrochelidon lunifrons (Say.). Cliff Swallow. 



This bird has never been found by the writer to be numerous 

 in this vicinity, either in spring or summer. During the latter 

 part of summer we have observed it in company with the mar- 

 tin and barn swallow. The habits, time of arrival and depart- 

 ure are about those of the other species mentioned. 



Clivicola riparia (Linn.). Bank Swallow. 



This bird arrives in April, it is extremely common and asso- 

 ciates in great numbers with its own kind. It frequents the 

 banks, cliffs, etc., of our rivers and streams, and of the Chesa- 

 peake Bay. It breeds in holes made in these places. On one 

 occasion, in July, at Bay Ridge, below Annapolis, at least two 

 hundred of these holes, some close and others wider apart, were 

 dug in all directions into the almost perpendicular cliffs, out of 

 which holes the swallows would fly back and forth with the ac- 

 tivity of a nest of bees. The eggs, which are laid in these holes, 

 are white. About the middle or close of September it departs 

 to a mildar climate. 



[MAY 18, 1891.] 



