THE BIRDS OF NEW JERSEY. 165 



Sparrow, Yellow-winged. See Grasshopper Spar- 

 row. 



Spirit Duck. See Buffle-head Duck. 

 Sprigtail. See Pintail Duck. 

 Stake Driver. See Bittern. 

 Summer Duck. See Wood Duck. 

 Summer Yellowbird. See Yellow Warbler. 



Swallow, Bank, or Sand Jffartin. Length, five 

 and a half inches; extent, ten inches; bill, one-fifth of an 

 inch, black; plumage above, generally sooty brown; throat, 

 white; breast, with brownish gray band; belly and sides, 

 white; tail, forked, brown, the exterior feathers slightly 

 edged with gray; wings, brown, the wings and tail being 

 darker than the back; feet, dark. 



The birds nest in colonies in clay or sandy banks, mak- 

 ing holes or tunnels from twelve to eighteen inches in 

 length, at the extremity of which is the nest, made of 

 grass and feathers. The eggs are from four to six in 

 number, white, and two-thirds by one-half inch in size. 

 There are two broods each season. 



The birds breed throughout the whole of North America 

 and spend the winter in the West Indies, Central America 

 and southwards. Some remain all summer to breed in 

 New Jersey, but they are more plentiful here during mi- 

 grations from August 15 to September 1 and again from 

 April 8 to 20. 



Their song is a gladsome twitter. 



Their food consists of insects generally taken on the 

 wing. 



Swallow, Barn. Length, seven inches; extent, thir- 

 teen inches; bill, one fourth of an inch, black; throat, 



