BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
255 
{Petrochelidon lunifrons) in Pennsylvania in December : “ New Lexing-- 
ton, Pa., January 1, 1890. — * * * j wrote you on the 28tli ult. that 
it was reported to me that the Cliff Swallows were building- at a farmer’s 
barn some six miles away. I investig-ated the matter by g*oing there 
myself to see if the report was correct. I saw the nest, but the swallows 
had g-one on last Saturday, probably driven away by the sparrows. The 
farmer, John Shaff, and his daug-hter told me that they first noticed the 
birds on the 23d of December, and they were already building. They 
commenced to build on the foundations of old nests. They had one nest 
completed and two others partly done. During all last week the tem- 
perature never ranged below 40° nor above 65°. In an open winter 
like this one it may not be unusual, in some parts of the state, for swal- 
lows to make their appearance in midwinter; but, as far as I can learn, 
they were never seen here before in December. * * * I have often 
seen nests with the opening from three to five inches long. Sometimes 
this neck is fastened to the ceiling in a horizontal line, and at other times 
it is curved slightly downward.” 
Genus CHELIDON Forster. 
Chelidon erythrogaster (Bodd.). 
Barn Swallow. 
Description (^Plaie 54 , adults and nest). 
Length about 6f inches ; extent about 12^ inches ; bill and nails black ; eyes very 
dark brown ; legs and feet light brown ; above glossy steel-blue, with concealed white 
on middle of back; wings and tail feathers viewed from above blackish, glossed with 
greenish and violet hues ; tail very deeply forked ; inner webs of all tail feathers, ex- 
cept two middle ones, have showy white spots ; outer tail feathers much longer and 
narrower towards the ends than others ; imperfect steel-blue color on upper part of 
breast; forehead, chin, throat and a space on under tail-coverts, deep chestnut; rest 
of lower parts lighter reddish-brown. 
Young . — Duller and paler than the adults ; and the lateral pair of tail feathers are 
also much shorter. 
Habitat . — North America in general, from the Fur countries southward to the 
West Indies, Central America and South America. 
The Barn Swallow is so named because it usually nests in barns. This 
bird, like the preceding species, arrives here late in April and departs 
about September 1. This swallow, either when at rest or on the wing, 
may be recognized by its deeply-forked tail, which, if viewed from below, 
shows a broad white band, most conspicuous when the bird is flying. 
