322 



SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. —PASSEBES — OSCINES. 



Fig. 181. — Generic details of Birundo (H. hor- 

 reorum, nat. size). (Ad nat. del. E. C.) 



159. H. erythrogas'tra horreo'rum. (Gr. c'pvdpos, enithros, ruddy, and yaa-rjjp, gaster, belly. 

 Lat. liorreorum, of barns, gen. pi. of horreum, a barn.) Barn Swallow. ^, adult: deep 



lustrous steel-blue; forehead and entire under 

 parts rufous, generally deepest on the forehead 

 and throat ; an imperfect steel-blue coUar. 

 Wings and tail blackish, with steel-blue or 

 somewhat greenish gloss ; the lateral pair of 

 taU-feathers much lengthened and filiform at 

 the end, all but the central pair with a white 

 spot. Length 6.00-7.00, very variable, accord- 

 ing to the development of the tail ; extent 12.50- 

 13.50; wing 4.50-5.00; tail 3.00-5.00, the fork 

 2.00-3.00 deep. ?, adult: Quite like the ^ ; 

 colors rather less intense and lustrous; average 

 size smaller. Young : Lacking in great measure 

 the elongation and attenuation of the lateral tail- 

 feathers, the fork being an inch or less in depth. 

 Similar to the adults, but much duller, and with 

 rather a greenish than steel-blue lustre — at an 

 early age quite brown, with scarcely any lustre, 

 and the rump and upper tail-coverts skirted with 

 rusty. Troutlet obscurely marked or reduced to 

 a mere tawny line, and under parts, especially 

 behind the dark collar, very pale, even brownish- 

 white. N. Am. at large ; abundant; breeds throughout its range. 



60. IBIDOPROC'NE. (Gr. 'ipjf, gen. "ipiSos, Iris, messenger of the gods ; also the rainbow ; 

 UpoKvrj, Procne, daughter of Paudion.) Iris Swallows. Plumage compact, lustrous, as in 

 Hirundo ; but tail lacking the elongation of that genus, being simply emarginate. Under 

 parts snowy white. Eggs colorless. Sexes similar. 



160. I. bi'color. (Lat. hicolor, two-colored. Fig. 182.) White-bellied Swallow. ^, adult: 

 Entire upper parts glossy dark green; wings and tail blackish, lustrous; lores black. Entu-e 

 under parts pure white. Bill black ; feet dark. Length 

 about 6.00; extent 13.00; wing 4.50-5.00; tail 2.50. 

 9 : Similar, the colors rather less intense and lustrous. 

 Young : Birds of the year slowly acquire a plumage 

 differing only in the less lustre and intensity from that 

 of the adults ; but, on leaving the nest, they are dark 

 mouse-gray or slate-color above, including the wings 

 and tail, the interscapulars and inner quills tipped with 

 rusty ; and white below, slightly shaded with ashy ; 

 thus curiously similar to Cotile riparia. The feet yel- 

 low. The first plumage is worn longer than usual, the 

 autumnal dress being slowly gained — one or two of 

 the metallic-tinted feathers at a time. The quills of size. (Ad nat. del. E. C.) 

 the wing are moulted by the young as well as by the adult, and in both, in autumn, the inner 

 secondaries are wliite-tipped. Temperate N. Am. Breeds indifferently in all parts of its 

 range, and winters abundantly on the southern border. 



61. TACHYCINE'TA. (Gr. raxuKLvrfTos, taclmkinetos, moving rapidly.) Violet-velvet 

 Swallows. SunUar to the last, but lacking lustre of the richly varied jilumage of the 

 upper parts. 



Fig, 182. — 'Wliite-bellied Swallow, nat. 



