208 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Hab. Whole of North Ameriea (including Oroenliind and Alaska), and parts of South 

 America; breeds throughout North America, including parts of Mexico; winters in tropi- 

 cal Amoriea, including West Indies. 



"Sp. Chab. Tail very deeply forked; outer feathers severul inches longer than the 

 inner, very narrow towards the end. Above glossy blue, with concealed white in the mid- 

 dle of the back. Throat chestnut; rest of lower part reddish white, not conspicuously 

 different. A steel-blue collar on the upper part of the breast, interrupted in the middle. 

 Tail-feathers with a white sjiot near the middle. on the inner web. Female with the outer 

 tall-feather not (luite so long. Length, 6.90 inches; wing, 5.U0; tail, 1.50." U/i.s^ JV. ^lu. 2(.) 



In young birds, the frontal chestnut band is smaller and less dis- 

 tinct. The adult male is more deeply colored beneath than the 

 female. 



The common Barn Swallow is so well known that any special 

 account of its habits in tliis work would be quite superfluous. Its 

 distribution is quite universal, its breeding range including almost 

 the whole continent of North America. In unsettled districts where 

 there are no buildings for its accommodation, it builds in caves 

 or recesses among cliffs. Like all the Swallow tribe, the present 

 species is most beneficial to the fanner, and should be most care- 

 fully protected and encouraged. 



Genus TACHYCINETA Cabanis. 



Tachycineta Cab. Mus. Hein. 1850, 48. Type Hirundo thalassina Sw. 



"Gen. Chae. Nostrils lateral, overhung or bordered internally by incumbent mem- 

 brane. Tarsi with the tibial joint covered by overhanging feathers, adherent a short dis- 

 tance along inner face, about equal to middle toe without claw. Lateral toes eaual. 

 Adhesion of basal joint of middle toe variable. Tail emarginate only, or slightly forked; 

 fork not exceeding half an inch in depth. Color blue or green above, with or without 

 metallic gloss; with or without white rump. Entirely white beneath. Nests usually in 

 holes of trees or rocks; eggs pure white, unspotted." {Hist. N. Am. B.) 



Of this section there are two North American species which 

 may he distinguished by the follomng characters, both being blue 

 or green above and white beneath: 



1. T. bicolor. Throat feathers white to the base; aurioulars wholly dusky. Adult: 

 Above, including tlio aurieulars, rich metallic steel-blue, with green reflections. 

 Young: Above lustreless sooty-plumbeous. 



2. T. thalassina. Throat feathers dusky grayish below the surface ; aurieulars mostly 

 whitish. Adult male: Above rich. soft l,not metallic) dark green (sometimes 

 bronzed over with purple), with a violet collar across the nape; upper tail-coverts 

 mixed with rich violet-purple; sides of the rump with a white patch. Adult 

 female: Similar to the male, but duller; crown bronze-gray. Young: Similar to 

 that of bicolor, except as described above. 



T. thalassina is a western species, the range of which extends 

 httle if any east of the Eocky Mountains. 



