Swallows. 



Order, Passeres. 

 Family, llirundinidae. 



Family Characteristics: Five and one-half to seven and one-half 

 inches long. Wide wing-spread. Nearly always seen on the wing. 

 Live in colonies and twitter rather than sing. From dark gray to 

 purplish black above with breasts from white to buff. 



They live on mosquitoes, moths and insects of nearly "all varieties 

 and work without ceasing. No birds can be of more value. They 

 are real pest-destroyers. 



613. BARN SWALLOW. Hirundo erythrogastra. Six and one- 

 half inches long. Blue-black above, russet beneah. Large wing- 

 spread. Forkied tail. Very common. Nests in barns and under 

 bridges. 



611. PURPLE MARTIN. (A swallow.) Progne subis. Seven and 

 one half inches long. Male black with purple luster. Wings longer 

 than tail. Tail forked. Female gray beneath and faded above. Seen 

 in town where it nests in boxes or under cornices. 



612. EAVES SWALLOW. (Cliff Swallow.) Petrochelidon luni- 

 frons. Length of English sparrow. Wide wing-spread. Bluish-drab 

 above. An inconspicuous gray crescent about the neck. Soiled white 

 beneath. Best identified by gourd-shaped, mud nests built under the 

 eaves of barns or on the sides of cliffs. Tail without forks. 



616. BANK SWALLOW. Riparia riparia. Somewhat shorter 

 than the English sparrow. Its wide wing-spread makes it look larger 

 than it is. Gray above shaded to brown. Wliite below. Tail not 

 swallow-tailed. Nests in holes dug in sand banks and railroad cuts. 



614. TREE SWALLOW. Tachycineta Ucolor. Nearly English 

 sparrow length. Wide wing-spread. Bluish-green reflections above, 

 white beneath. Tail slightly forked. Nests in hollow trees when it 

 can and, therefore, is rare on the prairies. 



CHIMNEY SWALLOW. This is not a swallow but a member of 

 the swift family. 



