COTYLE RIPARIA, BANK SWALLOW. 89 



i, 1840, 177, pi. 47.— GiRAUD. B. L. I. 1844, 38.— Maxim,, J. f. 0. vi, 18S8, 100.— 



Heeem,, p. R. R. Rep. x, 1859, pt. vi, 36. 

 Herse fulva, Bp., Consp. Av. i, 1850, 341 (in part). 

 Hirundo melanogaster, Sw., Phil. Mag. i, 1827, 336 (Mexico). 

 Petroolielidon melanogaslra, Cab., Mus. Heiu. i, 1850, 47. 

 Fetrochelidon sioainsoni, ScL., P. Z. S. 1858, 296 ; 1859, 376 ; Cat. A. B. 1882, 40.— Be, 



Rev. 1865, 290.— Shmicu., Mem. Boat. Soc. i, 1869, 547 (Vera Cruz). 



Sab. — North America at large, breeding almost throughout, in suitable places. 

 Mexico. South to Panama. Not West Indian. 



List of specimens. 



Lieutenant Wurren's Expedition. — 4776-80, Bijoas Hills. 



Later Expeditions. — 60420-3, Wyoming ; 61774, Idaho. 



Without present opportunity of direct comparison of several closely related species ! 

 or varieties of the West Indies and South America, the above synonymy is made only 

 with reference to the North American bird, and the Mexican, which is certainly not 

 distinct. The differences assigned to sivainsoni, in both size and shade of color, are 

 found in every sufficient series of the North American bird ; thus, of two specimens, 

 both shot at Washington, D. C, oue has a whitish and the other a brown frontlet. I 

 scarcely think that even varietal distioctiou can be predicated in this case. The West 

 Indian form (true fuXva of Vieillot) appears to constitute all insular race worthy of re- 

 cognition, in lacking the steel-blue pectoral spot, and in other features. But there 

 seems to be little probability of its proving not to intergrade with lunlfrons. 



Prof. Verrill has recently elucidated some interestiug facts relative to 

 the distributioQ of this species, substantiating its occurrence in Eastern 

 North America, long before the time when it was erroneously supposed 

 to have immigrated from the west. My present belief in the matter is, 

 that the Cliff Swallow is, and always has been, amenable to the ordinary 

 laws of migration, and spread over nearly all of North America, the 

 South Atlantic States perhaps excepted. The numerous recorded dates 

 of its appearance and breeding in particular localities, merely mark the 

 times when the birds forsook their natural breeding places and built 

 under eaves, which enabled them to pass the summer where formerly 

 they were unable to breed for want of suitable accommodations. 



Dr. Hayden notices the abundance of this ipecies along the Missouri, 

 and of its nests on the vertical sides of the river bluffs : "Near the 

 mouth of the Niobrara Eiver, the chalk bluff's and cretaceous formation 

 No. 3 form lofty vertical walls, which are sometimes completely covered 

 with their nests." In passing up the river last year, I noticed the same 

 thing. Mr. Allen's observations are correspondent: He says it is "a 

 common inhabitant of the central plateau of the continent, throughout 

 which extensive region small colonies may be observed breeding on the 

 rocky escarpments of the plains and in the mountains. It, however, 

 even here manifests its preference for the eaves of buildings for nesting 

 sites, and wherever settlements occur it soon abandons its ancient cliffs 

 for these apparently more congenial locations. This species and the 

 White-bellied Swallow were the most common Hinmdiiies in South Park, 

 and both these species and the Barn Swallo^v were observed in fine 

 weather coursing above the tree-liue summits of the Snowy Range." 



^ COTYLE EIPAEIA, (Linn.) Boie. 



Bank Sv/allow. 



Eirundo riparia, Linn., Svst. Nat. i, 1766. 344. — G.M., Syst. Nat. i, 1738, 1019. — Lath., 

 Ind. Orn. ii, 179(1,' 575.— WiLs., Am. Orn. v, 4G, pi. :!?!.— Bp., Syu. 18i8, 65; List, 

 1838, 9.— Sw. & Rich., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 333.— Nott., Man. i, 1832, 607.— AuD., 

 Orn. Biog. iv, 1^38^4^^L^^j^ Wtirh^ibM' ^- ^'^- '' ^'^'' '''' ^'^ "'- 



