BARN SWALLOW. 
421 
cessary as it is to the perfect understanding of this department 
of our own ! 
The Barn Swallow is seven inches long, and thirteen inches 
in extentj bill black; upper part of the head, neck, back, rump 
and tail coverts, steel blue, which descends rounding on the 
breast; front and chin deep chestnut; belly, vent, and lining of 
the wing, light chestnut; wings and tail brown black, slightly 
glossed with reflexions of green; tail greatly forked, the exte- 
rior feather on each side an inch and a half longer that the next, 
and tapering towards the extremity, each feather, except the 
two middle ones, marked on its inner vane with an oblong spot 
of white; lores black; eye dark hazel; sides of the mouth yel- 
low; legs dark purple. 
The female difiers from the male in having the belly and vent 
rufous white, instead of light chestnut; these parts are also slight- 
ly clouded with rufous; and the exterior tail feathers are shorter. 
These birds are easily tamed, and soon become exceedingly 
gentle and familiar. I have frequently kept them in my room 
for several days at a time, where they employed themselves in 
catching flies, picking them from my clothes, hair, &c. calling 
out occasionally as they observed some of their old companions 
passing the windows. 
