250 BEPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



can hardly be based upon personal observation, his statements, never- 

 theless, constitute the bulk of our knowledge of its decrease in the 

 State. Later we have only John Krider's statement that he had taken 

 the nest in former years in New Jersey; Thurber's (1887) mention of 

 it as an accidental visitant to Morristown, and the record of a young 

 bird taken by Mr. W. E. D. Scott at Princeton, August 5th, 1880. 1 



In spite of the fact that I pointed out the true status of this species 

 in southern New Jersey in 1894-, 2 it is recorded as a breeding species 

 in this section in numerous general works published since that date, 

 even as recently as 1906 in Chapman's Birds of the Vicinity of New 

 York City. 



Family HIRUNDINID^E. 



THE SWALLOWS. 



Swallows are wonderfully adapted to the life they lead ; long, nar- 

 row wings, suitable for rapid flight; a large mouth, with very short 

 bill, suitable for gulping down such insects as come in its way, and 

 small feet, which are only needed when alighting on the nest or on 

 some ridge pole, branch or telegraph wire. 



While the form of the various species is very similar, their nesting 

 habits vary a great deal. 



a. Wing over 5.50. PURPLE MARTIN, p. 251 



aa. Wing under 5. 



6. Back glossy blue or green. 



c. Throat white. TREE SWALLOW, p. 253 



cc. Throat rusty. 



d. Tail forked. BARN SWALLOW, p. 252 



dd. Tail square. CLIFF SWALLOW, p. 251 



66. Back dull brown ; little, if any, gloss. 



o. Rump rusty. CLIFF SWALLOW (young), p. 251 



cc. Rump uniform with the back. 



d. Entire under parts white. TREE SWALLOW (young), p. 253 

 dd. Throat and breast ashy, abdomen white. 



ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, p. 255 

 ddd. Throat and abdomen white, with a dusky breast band. 



BANK SWALLOW, p. 254 



1 Babson, Birds of Princeton, p. 67. 



2 Birds of E. Pa. and N. J., p. 122. 



