218 FULVOUS OR CLIFF SWALLOW. 
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 researches. ‘The most striking characteristic 
of the Hirundo fulva is its even tail; yet Vieillot has repre- 
sented this partas forked. We are therefore not surprised that 
our learned zoologist, who had no opportunity of consulting 
the coloured 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 build- 
ing is so peculiar, that, when these are accurately delineated, 
it cannot be mistaken for any other species. 
The cliff swallow is five and a half inches long. The bill 
is black, and the feet dusky; the irides are dark brown. A 
narrow black line extends over the bill to each eye ; the front 
is pale rufous, and the remaining part of the crown, black vio- 
laceous ; the chin, throat, and cheeks are dark ferruginous, 
extending in a narrow band on the hind head; the upper part 
of the body is black, glossed with violaceous ; the inferior part 
of the rump, and some of the tail-coverts, are pale ferruginous ; 
all roosted in the hollow limbs of the sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) 
growing on the banks of the Licking river, but when incubation com- 
menced, the males alone resorted to the trees. A second party arrived, 
and were so hard pressed for time, that they betook themselves to the 
holes in the wall where bricks had been left out for the scaffolding. These 
they fitted with projecting necks, similar to those of the complete nests 
of the others. Their eggs were deposited on a few bits of straw, and 
great caution was necessary in attempting to procure them, as the 
slightest touch crumbled their frail tenement into dust. By means of 
a table-spoon, I was enabled to procure many of them, Each nest con- 
tained four eggs, which were white, with dusky spots. Only one brood 
israised ina season. The energy with which they defended their nests 
was truly astonishing. Although I had taken the precaution to visit 
them at sunset, when I supposed they would all have been on the 
sycamores, yet a single female happened to be sitting, and gave the alarm, 
which immediately called out the whole tribe. They snapped at my 
hat, body, and legs, passed between me and the nests within an inch of 
my face, twittering their rage and sorrow.”—Ep. 

