EIRUNDO FULVA. 



FULVOUS OR CLIFF SWALLOW. 



[Plate VII. Fig. 1.] 



Jlirundo fulva, Vieill. Ow. de I'Am. Sept. i., p. 62, PI. 32. Stephens, Conl. of 

 Shaw's Zool. x., Part i., p. 126. Dewitt Clinton, Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. N. 

 Y. I., p. 156. — Hirundo lunifrons, Say, in Long's Expedition to the Roclcy Moun- 

 tains, II., p. 47. 



With the exception of a very imperfect description, little was known 

 relative to this interesting bird, anterior to Long's expedition to the 

 Rocky Mountains. One of the notes annexed to the account of that 

 journey contains an excellent description of this Swallow, with a notice 

 of its habits, and remarkable manner of building. Mr. De Witt Clinton 

 has recently published a paper on the same subject, accompanied by 

 some observations from Mr. Audubon. Combining what these gentle- 

 men have made known with the information previously given by Vieillot 

 and Say, we can present a tolerably complete history of the Cliff 

 Swallow. 



Some doubts having been entertained whether the Hirundo lunifrons 

 of the Rocky Mountains be the same species as the Hirundo fulva of 

 the western part of New York, I was desirous of deciding the question 

 by comparing the specimens ; this I accomplished, through the polite- 

 ness of Dr. Dekay of New York, who, with the kindness and liberality 

 distinctive of those who cultivate science for its own sake, sent me the 

 specimen and nest deposited by Mr. Clinton in the cabinet of the 

 Lyceum. Thus being possessed of the individuals in question, we are 

 enabled to place their specific identity beyond the reach of future 

 uncertainty. 



That Say considered his Hirundo lunifrons as a new bird, is entirely 

 attributable to the incorrectness of Vieillot's figure, which is one of 

 those better suited to mislead than to assist the naturalist in his re- 

 searches. The most striking characteristic of the Hirundo fulva is its 

 even tail ; yet Vieillot has represented this part as forked. We are 

 therefore not surprised that our learned zoologist, who had no opportu- 

 nity of consulting the colored plate, should not have even thought of 

 comparing his bird with that of Vieillot, who probably figured it with a 

 forked tail merely because it was a Swallow. The characters of the 

 Cliff Swallow are so remarkable, and its manner of building is so pecu- 

 liar, that, when these are accurately delineated, it cannot be mistaken 



for any other species. 



(191) 



