116 



WHEAT SWALLOW. 



and is supposed to retire to the woods in the 

 night, as it is generally seen about their skirts in 

 the evening : it flies remarkably quick. 



WHEAT SWALLOW. 



(Hirundo borbonica.) 



"Hi. Jusco-nigricans suhtus grisea Jusco-maculata, cauda non Jbr- 

 Jicata, 



Dusky-brown Swallow, beneath grey, spotted with fuscous; tail 

 not forked. 



Hirundo borbonica. Gmel. Syst. Nat. 1. 1017. — Lath, Ind, Orn, 

 2. 580. 27. 



L*Hirondelle des Oles. Buf. Hist. Nat, Ois, 6. 694. 

 L'Hirondelle de I'isle Bourbon. Bujl PL Enl. 544<.f. 2. mr. 

 Wheat Swallow. Lath. Gen. Syn. 4. 581. 29. 



The Wheat Swallow has the beak and legs 

 black; the whole of the upper parts of the plumage 

 dusky brown ; the under parts grey, variegated 

 with longitudinal spots of brown : tail not forked. 

 There is a variety figured in the Planches Enlu- 

 min^es, which has the head, wings and tail similar 

 to the above, but the rest of the upper parts of the 

 body are greenish brown : the three outer tail- 

 feathers are likewise edged with that colour, and 

 tipped with dirty white ; the under parts spotted 

 with brown. 



Affects wheat fields in the isle of France, and is 

 fond of elevated situations : retires in the evening 

 to the clefts of mountains, where they are said to 

 pass the night : their nests are made of straw and 



