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HIRUNDO FULVA. 
GENUS VIII. — HIE UND 0, Linn^us. 
14. HIRUNDO FULVA , VIEILL. — .FULVOUS, OR CLIFF SWALLOW. 
BONAPARTE, PLATE VII. FIG. I. 
With the exception of a very imperfect description, 
little was known relative to this interesting 1 bird, 
anterior to Long’s expedition to the Rocky Mountains. 
One of the notes annexed to the account of that journey 
contains an excellent description of this swallow, with 
a notice of its habits, and remarkable manner of building. 
Mr de Witt Clinton has recently published a paper 6n 
the same subject, accompanied by some observations 
from Mr Audubon. Combining what these gentlemen 
have made known with the information previously 
given by Vieillot and Say, we can present a tolerably 
complete history of the cliff swallow. 
Some doubts having been entertained whether the 
Hirundo lunifrons of the Rocky Mountains be the same 
species as the Hirundo fulva of the western part of New 
York, I was desirous of deciding the question by 
comparing the specimens ; this I accomplished through 
the politeness of Dr Dekay of New York, who, with 
the kindness and liberality distinctive of those who 
cultivate science for its own sake, sent me the specimen 
and nest deposited by Mr Clinton in the cabinet of the 
Lyceum. Thus being possessed of the individuals in 
question, we are enabled to place their specific identity 
beyond the reach of future uncertainty. 
That Say considered his Hirundo lunifrons as a new 
bird, is entirely attributable to the incorrectness of 
Yieillot’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 represented this part as 
forked. We are, therefore, not surprised that our learned 
zoologist, who had no opportunity of consulting the 
