318 



SWALLOWS. 



luid is particuliirly nmnorous in pineries liaving an undorgrnwth of 

 oaks. It may bo easily idcnlificd, not aloiio by its color but by its 

 uiii(iue call-note— a clearly enunciated chirhtj-tucky-tuck. Its song 

 bears a general resemblance to that of the Scarlet Tunager, but to 

 my ear is much sweeter and less forced. 



Tlie LoiisiAXA TANACiKK {H(>7. J'lni/ii/a luifoviciana), a species of our 

 Western States, luis been reedided from Mussuehusotts, Connecticut, ami New 

 York. 



Family IIirundinid^e. Swallows. 



About eighty species of Swallows are known. They are distributed 

 throughout the world. In their long, powerful wings and small, weak 

 feet Swallows present an excellent illustration of the elfects of use and 

 disuse. The gieater part of their day is passed on the wing, and in 

 alighting they select a perch which they can grasp with ease. 



mi 





i i:i 



^0?^^/^m§^^^m^:^^m 





s.- J-^>*»- ->.— ' 



Fig. 89— Barn Swallow. Cliff Swaliow. 



Tree Swallow. 

 Bank Swallow. 



Swallows live almost exclusively upon insects, which they capture 

 on the wing, their large mouths, as in the case of the Swifts and Goat- 

 suckers, being especially adapted to this mode of feeding. 



They nest both in pairs and colonies, and during their migrations 

 associate in countless numbers at regularly frequented roosting places 

 or migration station.s, which are sometimes in trees, but more often in 

 marshes, and to which they regularly retui'n each night. They mi- 

 grate, as far as known, entirely by day, their wonderful power of flight 

 enabling them to escape the dangers which beset less rapid fliers. 



