446 



LAND BIRDS 



side of rump, often close enough to form a band ; under parts white ; 



ear-ooyerts and line above posterior lialf of eye pure white. 

 Adult Femak: Similar to male, but smaller and duller; ear-coverts and 



hind-neck dull grayish. 

 Young : Upper parts entirely dull brownish slate ; feathers of under 



parts grayish beneath the surface. 

 Geographical Distribution: Western United States, east to the Rocky 



Mountains, south in winter to Costa Rica, north to Alaska. 

 California Breeding Range: In Transition zone nearly throughout the 



State. 

 Breeding Season: May and June. 

 Nest : In cliffs, hollow trees, under eaves of houses, etc.; made of dry 



grasses ; lined with feathers. 

 Eggs: 4 or 5 ; pure white. Size 0.74 X 0.52. 



The Violet-green Swallow is a 

 strikingly beautiful bird both in form 

 and coloring. Although its plumage 

 lacks somewhat of the liistre of 

 the other swallows, the bright 

 green-and-violet effects of the 

 upper parts render it 

 unique among its kind. 

 It is a lover of pine 

 woods and mountain for- 

 ests, but where these 

 are scarce, it makes its 

 home among the bare 

 cliffs, nesting in crev- 

 ices in the rocks. In 

 California all of the nests 

 I have found have been in de- 

 serted woodpecker excavations 

 which the Swallows had filled 

 with feathers and bits of grass. 



615. Northern Violet- 

 GEEBN Swallow. 



" It is a lover of pine woods 

 and mountain forests.'^ 



