UYi'SJiLIU.E— THE SWIFTS. .(35 



ChsDtura (pelagioa var. ?) vauxi, (Towns.) DeKay. 



OUGON CHIIIHET SWin. 



Ci/pselua raii.ri, Townsenh, J. A. X. So. VIII, 18;«t, 148 (Coluinbia Rivpi). --In. Niirmtivc, 

 ISai). Cluclura vuuri, DkKav, N. Y. Zoiil. II, 1844, 3U. — H.viiiK, Itiiil.s N. Am. 

 145, 1)1. xviii. — SuLAlKli, Out. 282. -- In. P. Z. S. 18U;), KM) ((limttiniiiu). - Khnm-.u- 

 LY, 1'. U. (I. X, b, pi. xviii, f. 2. — ('(idit.I! it Sclki.kv, lOr). — ('(iuri;ii, Orii. I'ul. I, 

 1870, ii.ll. .lciutlhi/tisfauu:i, Uo.NAl'. Cuiuiiti'S liciidus, XXVill, 18,''.4 ; iKiti's Dclattri', 

 00. — Cashin, 111. I, 1855, 250. — XiiwuEiiiiY, Zuul. C'lil, iiml Or. Umitf, 78 ; l". li. It. 

 Siiiv. VI, 1857. 



Sp. Char. Lij,'ht sooty-brown; rump mid under parts paler; lightest on the chin and 

 throat. Lengtii, 4.50 ; wing, 4.75; tail, 1. 00. 



TIau. Piioilic ('OH.>it, from Pugot'.M Sound to Culifornia. West coast to Gimteirmla (Scr,. 

 P. Z. S. 18G3, 100); Yucatan (Lawk. Ann. N. Y. Lye. IX, 204). 



This species bears a very close resemblance to the common Chimney Swal- 

 low of the Ea,stern States, lioiiig only readily distingiiishable by its much 

 smaller size, 4.50 inches instead of r).25. The wing, too, is nearly an incb 

 shorter. The tarsus and the midille toe, however, seem absolutely longer. 

 The rump is a little paler than in 0. pchu/lrn, as well as the under ])aits, 

 where tlie chin and throat are lighter, almost dirty white, and graduidly 

 becoming a little darker beliind, although even the hinder part (jf the lielly 

 is luucli lighter than the back, even in strong contrast, instead of being of 

 the same color with it. Guatemalan specimens are much darker. 



Habits. This western Swift was first discovered by Mr. Townseud on the 

 Columbia IJivor, where he found it having the primitive haljits of the eastern 

 species, and breeding in liollow trees, forming a nest in a similar manner, and 

 laying four pure-white eggs. It differs from the common bird in its smaller 

 size and lighter color. It is said to occur from Tuget Sound to California. 



Dr. Cooper met with these birds May 4, 1804, in the Coast Eange, twelve 

 miles south of Santa Clara, lie was of tlie opinion that they liad nests in 

 hollow trees at the summit of the mountains, but he was not able to find 

 any. He did not observe any at Fort Vancouver in tlie summer of 185;{, 

 nor did he learn whether these birds are found in the central valleys of 

 California. In 18GG they were observed to make their first appearance at 

 Santa Cruz on the 4th of May, though as they rarely descended to the town 

 they might have been on the hills earlier thiin tliis. On the 5th of October 

 he observed five of them, in com])any with a large flock of Hirundo Idcolor, 

 spending the morning in hunting insects near the town. They were apparent- 

 ly delayed in their migration southward by a tliick fog and cold south-wind. 

 They may have been a late brood from the nortli. 



Dr. Kennerly obtained a single specimen of tliis species at tbe Straits of 

 Fuca, showing that these birds sometimes e.Ktend their migrations up to the 

 49t]i parallel. Neither Dr. Suckley nor Dr. Coo])cr was able to find this 

 Swift anywhere in Washington Territory. 



