Birds of Allegany Park 327 



Tree Swallow. Iridoprocne bicolor (Vieill.) 



Adults of this bird are easily distinguished by the pure white, 

 unmarked under parts, and the light bluish green or greenish blue 

 upper parts. While most books list this species as a green bird, 

 many individuals are more blue than green and some even a pro- 

 nounced violet. Young birds are plain brownish gray above and 

 white beneath. They might be mistaken for Rough-winged or 

 Bank Swallows, but the white throat will distinguish them from 

 the first, the lack of a continuous brown chest band from the sec- 

 ond, and the grayer back from both. 



The Tree Swallow is probably not a nesting bird in the Park, 

 and will not be found all summer. Birds begin wandering south- 

 ward from their nesting grounds in July and increase in numbers 

 until August. The first bird of this species was seen in the Cold 

 Spring Valley, July 15, and more were seen later at various points. 

 In late summer their number would probably be greatly increased. 

 They live in the open, particularly near water, and perch on wires 

 or the tops of dead trees. 



The notes of this Swallow are twitters similar to those of other 

 Swallows, but at times, particularly in the nesting season, the voice 

 is sweeter and more musical than that of any other American Swal- 

 low except the Purple Martin. 



While they probably do not nest in the Park, it is barely pos- 

 sible that they do. The nest is placed in a hole in a tree or dead 

 stump, or sometimes in a crevice of a building or a bird house. 

 They prefer the edges of lakes or the vicinity of water for nesting. 

 The formation of artificial lakes in the Park and the erection of 

 bird houses near their shores might encourage this species to nest 

 here. 



Northern Water-Thrush. Seiurus noveboracensis noveboracensis 



(Gmel.) 



This bird is quite similar to the Louisiana Water-Thrush, from 

 which it is distinguished by the more yellowish shade of the under 

 parts and of the line over the eye, as well as by the heavier spotting 

 of the breast and particularly the throat. 



This is one of the rarer birds of the Park. I met with but a 

 single male bird, first found by hearing the song and tracing it to 

 its source. It was noted singing in the same spot, on Quaker Run 

 near Frecks, for several days early in July and again on August 

 4. It lives along brooks and streams where willows are dense, and 

 in a somewhat more swampy location than that chosen by the Louis- 

 iana Water-Thrush. 



While the plumages of the two water -thrushes are much alike, 

 the songs are easily distinguished. That of the northern bird is 

 lower in pitch and faster in time than the Louisiana's. It is more 

 emphatic, but less sweet in quality. In fact, the whole song bears 

 a strong resemblance to the ending of the Louisiana's song; and 

 when both these songs, and the flight song of the Oven-bird are 

 known, a distinct relationship will be noted. The song I heard in 



