BRITISH BIRDS. 



209 



THE SWALLOW. 



CHIMNEY OR HOUSE SWALLOW. 



(Hinuido Rustica, Linn. flirondelle <1c cheminle, 

 Temm.) 



LENGTH somewhat more than six inches. Bill 

 black; eyes hazel; forehead and chin red, inclin- 

 ing to chesnut; the whole upper part of the body 

 black, reflected with a purplish blue on the top of 

 the head and scapulars ; the quills of the wings, 

 according to their different positions, are some- 

 times bluish black, and sometimes greenish brown, 

 whilst those of the tail are black, with green re- 

 flections; the fore part of the breast is black, the 

 rest of the breast and belly white; the inside and 

 corners of the mouth yellow; tail very long and 

 much forked, each feather, except the middle ones, 

 is marked with an oval white spot on the inner 

 web: legs very short, delicately fine, and blackish. 

 We have seen a young Swallow, which was shot 

 on the 26th of September; its length was scarcely 

 five inches ; its tail was short, and not forked ; the 



