260 BIRDS OF NORTH CAROLINA 



and taken to the ways of civilization. The nests are composed of leaves, grasses, 

 rootlets, mud, twigs, rags, or any other convenient materials. The eggs are four to 

 six in number, laid in May or June. They are pure glossy white; size .98 x .65. 



While a very useful insectivorous bird, it flocks in such numbers during the fall 

 migrations as sometimes to become a great nuisance. At Wrightsville, near Wil- 

 mington, a few years ago, they gathered to roost in such enormous numbers in late 

 summer as almost to empty the neighboring summer hotel. A similar circumstance 

 was reported from Mount Airy, Surry County, in September, 1885 and 1886. 

 Probably 200,000 have roosted of recent years in a grove in the center of the town 

 of Greensboro, Guilford County. The last birds of this species leave the State for 

 their winter homes in Mexico during the month of September. 



Genus Petrochelidon (Cab.) 

 256. Petrochelidon lunifrons lunifrons (Say.) CLIFF SWALLOW. 



Description. Lustrous steel blue; forehead, sides of head, throat and rump different shades 

 of chestnut; a blue spot on breast; belly whitish. L., 6.01; W., 4.35; T., 2.01. 

 Range. North America in summer; in winter Central America. 

 Range in North Carolina. So far, known only as a migrant in various portions of the State. 



FIG. 208. CLIFF SWALLOW. 



At present the Cliff or Eaves Swallow is known only as a spring transient at 

 Raleigh, where it has been observed in six different years between April 26 and 

 May 9; at Weaverville it was found by Cairns between April 15 and May 1, in 

 1892 and 1893; and at Lake Ellis in Craven County, where C. S. Brimley saw a 

 single specimen on May 8, 1906. 



The Cliff Swallow is not very different in its habits from other swallows, its 

 chief peculiarity consisting in the fact that it builds a gourd-shaped nest of pellets 

 of mud, fastening it against the face of overhanging cliffs or underneath the eaves 

 of buildings. The eggs resemble those of the Barn Swallow in being spotted, while 

 those of all our other species are pure white without markings. Size .80 x .55. 



Genus Hirundo (Linn.) 

 257. Hirundo erythrogastra (Bodd.). BARN SWALLOW. 



Description Lustrous steel blue, buffy below; forehead and throat deep chestnut; tail-feathers 

 with white spots, under tail-coverts rufous. Extreme measurements of 21 Raleigh specimens: 



