8 



other species ; and their form is a slender ovah Of a great ntimher of specimens 

 collected in various localities, the largest is '79 hy '56 inch, the smallest is "09 hy 

 •51 inch. Two broods are generally reared in the season, and the period of incubation 

 is fourteen days. 



" This species leaves New England in full migration about the lOtli of September." 



The following note is published by Dr. Cones from Mr. Stearns's MSS. on New 

 England Bird-life: — 



"A common summer resident, and more equably distributed over New England 

 than the Barn-Swallow, as it is less dependent upon man for breeding-places, and less 

 gregarious during the nesting-season. Tliough the AVhite-liellies often accept the boxes 

 setup for their accommodation, it is not always easy to induce them to occupy such ai'ti- 

 hcial retreats, and in some places they still refuse to modify their primitive habits of 

 breeding in naiural excavations of trees and stumps. Sometimes they compromise on a 

 hole in a post or fence. They are consequently found in remote and secluded woods and 

 swamps, as well as al)out the habitations of man ; and display a certain taste for aquatics 

 in frequently choosing ' stubs ' standing in the water for nesting-places, in their 

 immense autumnal gatherings in the salt marshes of the coasts, and in being very 

 numerous about ponds and other fresh water away from houses. They reach New 

 England somewhat in advance of the Barn-Swallows, coming in full force early in April, 

 and in the fall they linger through the greater part of September ; but the weather has 

 much to do with their movements. The nest is built of hay without mud, and lined 

 with feathers. The eggs are pure white, without markings, and from "70 to "78 long by 

 •50 to ^55 broad." 



Mr. Maynard writes : — " It arrives in New England the earliest of all the Swallows. 

 Here they have a song, which is, however, not as clear and warbling as that of the Barn- 

 Swallow ; their flight is also heavier, neither do they move as swiftly. These birds 

 breed in Martin-boxes, holes in out-buildings, or in hollow stubs ; while nesting in the 

 last-named situation, they usually choose a hole formed by nature, but I found a colony 

 busily engaged in excavating domiciles in partially decayed birch stuljs, which stood in 

 the waters of Lake Embagog, Maine. The work was performed by the bills, not after 

 the manner of Nuthatches, Titmice, &c., but by simply breaking away small pieces of 

 punky wood, and removing them. 



" White-bellied Swallows deposit their eggs during the first week in June. The 

 young leave their nest early in July. After this time they all congregate on the sea- 

 shore in vast flocks. During some years the numbers which assemble in early autumn 

 are almost incredible, for I have seen the air over the broad marshes of Ipswich so filled 

 with them that it was impossible to discharge a gun in any direction without killing one 

 or more. I always imagined that the great number of insects which occur near the salt 

 water, in the latter part of summer, was the cause of this vast concourse, until I dis- 

 covered another reason. I was walking about the hills near the coast one day in August, 

 when I observed large numbers of AVhite-bellied Swallows hovering over some bay-berry 



