506 HISTORY OF THE 



Tachycineta bicolor (VIEILL.). 



TREE SWALLOW. 

 PLATE XXX. 



Summer resident; rare; in migration common. Begin to ar- 

 rive early in March, and commence laying the last of May to 

 first of June. The bulk leave in September, a few remaining 

 until the last of October. 



B. 227. R. 155. C. 160. G. 78, 256. U. 614. 



HABITAT. The whole of North America, wintering from the 

 Gulf coast south to Cuba and Nicaragua. Breeds from about 

 latitude 37 north into the Arctic regions. 



SP. CHAR. " Glossy metallic bluish greeii above; entirely white beneath. Fe- 

 male duller in color. Young bird dull sooty gray above, much like that of T 7 . 

 thalassina, but may readily be distinguished by the feathers of the throat be- 

 ing pure white to their roots, instead of having the concealed bases grayish, as 

 in that species." 



Stretch of 

 Length. -wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 6.05 13.00 4.75 2.40 .45 .30 



Female... 5.85 12.45 4.50 2.30 .45 .30 



Iris dark brown; bill and claws black; legs and feet grayish 

 brown. 



These hardy birds arrive early in the spring, but usually do 

 not commence building their nests until about the first of June. 

 One of the earliest nests found was on Brier Island, Nova 

 Scotia. The pair arrived the 16th of May, 1880, and at once 

 took possession of a hollow in a fence rail, and on the 20th, the 

 day I left, the nest was completed and warmly lined with 

 feathers. 



They are very similar to others of the family in habits, ac- 

 tions and twittering notes, but are more quarrelsome, and rather 

 slower in flight than any others that I have described, though 

 strong and easy, flying high and low, and skimming for hours 

 and hours, largely over the water, in quest of insects that abound 

 there, apparently never tiring. In fact, Swallows are really only 

 at home in the air. 



Their nests are placed in Woodpecker' s holes, natural cavities 

 in trees, and about our dwellings in boxes, etc. They are very 

 loosely constructed of fine dry grasses and leaves, and thickly 



