BLACK AND WHITE SWAI^LOW. 105 



often extends two or three feet in a horizontal 

 direction : several of these holes are often within 

 a few inches of each other, and extend for a con- 

 siderable distance : at the extremity of this hole 

 its nest is placed; it is composed of fine dry grass, 

 lined with a few downy feathers, on which the 

 eggs, which are pure white and very transparent, 

 are placed; they are mostly five in number: the 

 young are hatched late in May: it occasionally 

 has two broods in the season, and will not always 

 take the pains to make a hole for its nest, but will 

 sometimes lay its eggs in a cavity of a quarry, or 

 a hole in a tree. 



The manners of this species are similar to those 

 of the common Martin, with which bird it often 

 associates, and flies over the water in pursuit of 

 insects : it has a low muttering voice. In some 

 parts of America they are so numerous amongst 

 the quarries and sand-banks as to appear like 

 swarms of bees round their hives. 



BLACK AND WHITE SWALLOW. 

 (Hirundo bicolor.) 



Hr. supra nigral ccsruleo viridi versicolor e, subtus nivea. 

 Swallow above black, changing to blue and green; beneath 

 snow white. 



Hirundo bicolor. Vieil, Ois, de VAmer, Sept, 1. 6l. 

 L'Hirondelle bicolor. VkiL Ois. de VAmer. Sept. 1. pi 



