I go LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



part of the State according to Mr. Allen, it is the 

 least abundant of the swallows; and is exceedingly 

 careless in its selection. It has a breeding range 

 from the 38th degree to high northern latitudes. 

 Mr. Richardson found it breeding in trees on the 

 banks of the Mackenzies river; Dale mentions it 

 in Alaska, but it has not been observed in Green- 

 land. In this latitude it is chiefly a denizen of 

 woods, and builds almost exclusively in hollow 

 trees. 



Its nest is loosely built and is composed of soft 

 leaves, fine meadow-grasses, and^ warmly lined with 

 an abundance of down and feathers. We have 

 never met with more than one nest in a season. 



Its departure for the West Indies, Central 

 America, and Northern South America, where it 

 winters, takes place early in September. 



The parents like those of the species last de- 

 scribed, are strongly attached to each other, and 

 manifest the utmost devotion to their offspring. 



The eggs are a pure white, with a delicate pink- 

 ish tinge when unblown, and unspotted; oblong- 

 oval in shape, and more pointed at one extremity 

 than the other. They measure .8£ of an inch in 

 length and .54 in breadth. 



Pctrochelidon lunifronSf Baird. 



The Cliff Swallow has been but occasionally 

 observed within the limits of ^Philadelphia, but in 

 Northumberland Co., to the westward, it is nearly 

 as common as the Barn Swallow is with us. Its 



