120 BIRDS OF SOUTH DAKOTA 



on wings and tail is jet black. Female olive green on back and 

 yellow below; wings and tail slaty brown. They are summer 

 residents in South Dakota, but are not plentiful. Seldom is more 

 than one pair found in any grove. The song is a rather weak 

 imitation of the Robin's, but the male's lack of musical ability 

 is more than compensated for by its beauty. 

 Tanagers have short, thick bills. 



FAMILY HIRUNDINIME. SWALLOWS 



Swallows are numerous in South Dakota, but very unob- 

 trusive. Seldom can one look up into the sky without seeing a 

 Swallow pass. With the exception of the Martin they are not 

 singers, and they gather their food entirely upon the wing. They 

 come to us late in spring, when there are insects enough to eat, 

 and leave early in autumn before the supply is too much de- 

 pleted. 



611. PURPLE MARTIN (Progne subis subis.) 



This is our largest Swallow, and the only one that sings. 

 A common summer resident, nesting readily wherever Martin 

 houses are erected. The house may be two or three stories high 

 and of many rooms, for these are sociable birds. The more there 

 are together the better they seem to like it. 



612. CLIFF SWALLOW (Petrochelidon lunifrons lunifrons.) 



These Swallows have brought their mud-bottle nests from 

 rocky cliffs and placed them under the eaves of barns. They 

 are therefore sometimes called the Eaves Swallow. Tail square, 

 forehead and rump buffy. They are social birds and build in 

 colonies. 



613. BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo erythrogastra.) 



Barn Swallows nest inside the barn, plastering their half- 

 saucers to beam or rafter. They seem quite fearless of men 

 or animals and pass in and out close to one's head. They are 

 easily identified by their iridescent plumage ; chestnut forehead, 

 throat and upper breast ; and forked tail. 



