340 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



614. Tachycineta bicolor (Vieill ) [155] 



Tree Svallow. 



Hftb, Whole •£ North America iu summer; wintering from Southern Florida, Cuba, and Gulf coast 

 to Guatemala, 



This is the White-bellied Swallow, which breeds in all suitable 

 localities throughout its North American range. The nesting season 

 is in May, June, and July. Its favorite resorts are in the vicinity of 

 ponds, marshes, and rivers, and even in its migrations it is seldom seen 

 far away from runniug water. In these places lofty, leafless tree-trunks 

 are its nesting sites — in the old excavations of woodpeckers, natural 

 cavities, etc. Sometimes it nests in cliffs or buildings. In the Eastern 

 States this bird frequently nests in bird-boxes. Mr. C. S. Shick, of Sea 

 Isle City, New Jersey, says that a pair had taken possession of a box 

 which he had put up in his yard. The materials used in nest-building 

 are grasses and straw, thickly lined with feathers. Mr. Walter E. Bry- 

 ant found a nest of this bird under the projecting and decayed deck of 

 a lumber lighter, moored at Oakland (Cal.) harbor. From four^o seven, 

 and occasionally nine, pure white eggs are laid. The average size of 

 ten eggs is .75 x .53. 



Mr. Edson A. McMillan informs me that he took from a single nest 

 in regular succession no less than five sets, each containing five eggs. 

 This was in the Adirondack Mountain region, beginning with set No. i 

 the first part of June. 



615. Tachycineta thalassina (Swains.) [156.] 



Violet-green SxraUoxr* 



Hab. Western United States, from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific; south in winter to 

 uatemala. 



This lovely Swallow is common from the Central Plains of the 

 United States to the Pacific coast. It breeds abundantly in California, 

 Oregon, and Washington Territory. The most characteristic Swal- 

 low of the pine regions of Arizona, and is also found in considerable 

 abundance in Colorado, nesting in all suitable localities, and, like the 

 Eave Swallow, usually in colonies. It nests in knot-holes of oak and 

 and other deciduous trees and in the deserted excavations of woodpeck- 

 ers, and more recently it has been found breeding under the eaves of 

 houses, like the Cliff Swallow. The nest is made of dry grasses, lined 

 with a thick mass of feathers. This species has also been found nest- 

 ing in holes in banks. Four or five pure white eggs are laid ; average 

 size, .74 X .52. Mr. Norris has a set of five eggs taken in Marion county, 

 Oregon, June 7. The eggs measure .74 x .52, .78 x .52, .75 x .52, .77 x 

 .52, .76 X .53. 



