230 



and the 1st day of April they appeared at Saint Louis, Mo., Paris, 111., 

 and Fernwood, 111. April 4 they were seen at Milwaukee, Wis.; April 

 5 at Green Bay, Wis.; April 7 at Lanesboro, Minn.; April 11 at Minne- 

 apolis, Minn., and April 28 at Oak Point, Manitoba. At Saint Louis, 

 Mo., the last one was seen April 29; at Mount Carrnel, Mo., May 2; and 

 at Des Moines, Iowa, May 8. Some very late birds were recorded at 

 Bonham, Tex., May 6, and at Gainesville, Tex., May 12. 



In the fall of 1885, at Saint Louis, Mo., the first returned September 

 8; many passed October 5; they were most numerous October 9; and 

 left October 26. They had left Grinnell, Iowa, September 16. Referring 

 to these Swallows, Dr. Coues says: "They breed independently of lati- 

 tude, some on the highlands of Mexico, and anywhere in the West; but 

 in the East their usual breeding range is said to be north of the paral- 

 lel of 380" (Birds of the Colorado Valley, 1878, p. 415). 



615. Tachycineta thalassina (Swains.)- [156.] Violet-green Swallow. 



The Violet-green Swallow can hardly claim a place among Mississippi 

 Valley birds. It breeds, however, in western Nebraska, and Dr. Agers- 

 borg writes that he has taken it as an accidental visitant in southeast- 

 ern Dakota. Mr. Lloyd states that it is a fall migrant in Concho County 

 Tex. Dr. Hatch includes it in his list of Minnesota birds. It winters 

 beyond our borders, and passes northward to British America. 



616. Clivicola riparia (Linn.). [157.] Bank Swallow. 



An abundant summer resident throughout the district, from Mani- 

 toba southward. A few spend the winter along our southern border, 

 but the great bulk pass further south — some even to Brazil. In Con- 

 cho County, Tex., they are a rare fall migrant. They re-enter the United 

 States quite early, but in 1884 none were reported until March 11, 

 on which day they appeared at latitude 31° 52' and latitude 33° 34', 

 in Mississippi. The records of the advance were not very regular, as 

 the birds would rarely be seen unless their colonies were visited. About 

 all that can be said from the notes is that during the last week of April 

 they spread over the country from latitude 39° to latitude 44° 30'. 



In the spring of 1885 the records of the Bank Swallow were even 

 more irregular than in 1884. The earliest report was from Corinth, 

 Miss., March 31; the latest from Shell River, Manitoba, April 30. 



In the fall of 1885 the last left Milwaukee, Wis., August 14. Many 

 were migrating at Saint Louis, Mo.. August 12 and August 20. August 

 24 was a day of great migration at Saint Louis, and the last was seen 

 there September 9. 



617. Stelgidopteryx serripennis (AucL). [158.] Hough-winged Swallow. 



This swallow breeds over most of the Mississippi Valley, even north 

 to Minnesota, but is most abundant in the Southern States. Few ob- 

 servers, however, are able to distinguish it from the Bank Swallow; 

 hence notes on it are few, and are confined to the notice of its arrival 



