SWALLOWS 



(613) Hiriindo erythrogastra 



Bodd. (Lat., a swallow; Gr., ruddy 

 belly). 



BARN SWALLOW. Tail deeply 

 forked. Ads. — Upper parts deep, 

 glossy, steel-blue with purplish re- 

 flections; forehead and throat bright 

 chestnut, fading to deep ruddy-buff 

 on the under parts; all outer tail 

 feathers with a vvhite spot near the 

 end of the inner web. Im. — Tail 

 less forked and plumage paler and less 

 lustrous. L., 6.90; W., 4.7s; T., 4.00, 

 forked about 2.00. Nest — A half- 

 bowl of pellets of mud, lined with 

 grass and feathers; attached to the 

 sides of beams in barns or other build- 

 ings, or on the sides of caves. 



Range — Breeds from Alaska and 

 southern Canada south to N. Car., 

 Ark. and southern Cal. 



costing hundreds of dollars, are commonly seen. Of course 

 all martins cannot have modern houses, so the majority of 

 them still continue to nest in hollow trees. They are com- 

 munistic and as many will nest close together as there are 

 accommodations for. 



Beautiful in plumage, graceful in flight and useful in its 

 habits, what more could one ask of a bird? But one thing — 

 a sweet song. Purple Martins are most persistent singers, 

 but no one can say that they possess any great skill in musical 

 art. Yet their songs are not displeasing, and that is more 

 than can be said of some birds — a succession of warbles, 

 gurgles, and creakings, having a grating rather than a twit- 

 tering character like the songs of most swallows. 



Many of the swallows are rather remarkable in their nest- 

 ing habits, especially in the construction of their homes. 

 None are more so than CLIFF or EAVE SWALLOWS. In 

 settled communities, these swallows generally attach their 

 nest to the sides of barns or outbuildings, just under the 



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