204 



North American Birds Eggs- 



SWIFTS. Family MICROPODID/E. 



422. Black Swift. Ci/psrloidcs iiiycr barcaUs. 



Range. — Mountain ranges from Central America north to Briti.'^h Columbia, 

 locally distributed throughout its range. 



The plumage of this Swift is entirely sooty black, darkest above; the tail is 

 slightly forked and is without spines; length of bird, 7 in. Although the gen- 

 eral habits of this species are well known, little is known of their nesting; they 

 are seen during the breeding season about the higher ranges throughout their 

 United States habitat, and are supposed to nest in crevices on the face of cliffs 

 at a high altitude. 



423. Chimney Swift. Chu'tura pclagira. 



Range.— North America east of the Plains, breeding from central Canada, 

 south to the Gulf coast, and wintering south of our borders. 



This well known species is sooty brownish black, 5. 5 in. long, and has the 

 tail feathers terminating in sharp spines. They are very abundant in all por- 

 tions of their range, and may be seen on the wing at all hours of the day, but 

 especially abundant in the early morning and toward dusk. They formerly 

 dwelt and bred only in hollow trees, and a great many still continue to do so, as 



:■:> 



Photo by E. I\. Forrest. 

 NEST AND EGGS OF CHIJINEY SWIFT. 



