The Bird Book Part 87

613. BARN SWALLOW. _Hirundo erythrogastra._

Range.--Whole of North America; winters south to South America.

This Swallow is the most beautiful and graceful of the family, and is a familiar sight to everyone, skimming over the meadows and ponds in long graceful sweeps, curves and turns, its lengthened outer tail feathers streaming behind. Throughout their range, they nest in barns, sheds or any building where they will not be often disturbed, making their nests of mud and attaching them to the rafters; they are warmly lined with feathers and the outside is rough, caused by the pellets which they place on the exterior. Before the advent of civilized man, they attached their nests to the sides of caves, in crevices among rocks and in hollow trees, as they do now in some localities. Their eggs cannot be distinguished from those of the Cliff Swallow. Data.--Penikese Is., Ma.s.s., July 2, 1900. Nest on beam in sheep shed; made of pellets of mud, lined with feathers.

614. TREE SWALLOW; White-bellied Swallow. _Iridoprocne bicolor._

Range.--Whole of temperate North America, breeding from middle United States northward; winters in the Gulf States and along the Mexican border and southward.

This vivacious and active species is as well known as the last, and nests about habitations on the outskirts of cities and in the country.

[Ill.u.s.tration 375: Barn Swallow.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Tree Swallow.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: deco.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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They naturally nest in holes in trees or stumps, preferable in the vicinity of water, but large numbers now take up their abode in houses provided for them by man, providing that English Sparrows are kept away.

They make their nests of straws and gra.s.ses, lined with feathers, and lay four to six plain white eggs; size .75 .50. Data.--Portage, Mich., May 26, 1897. Nest in a gate post; hole about 6 inches deep, lined with feathers.

615. NORTHERN VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW. _Tachycineta thala.s.sina lepida._

Range.--United States in the Rocky Mountains and west to the Pacific coast, breeding from Mexico to British Columbia; winters south of our borders.

This very beautiful species is smaller than the last, but, like it, is white below, but the upper parts are blue, green and purple without gloss. They are common in their range and nest, usually in holes in trees, less often in banks and under eaves; the nests are made of gra.s.s and feathers, and the eggs are pure white, four or five in number; size .72 .50.

615a. SAN LUCAS SWALLOW. _Tachycineta thala.s.sina brachyptera._

Range.--Southern Lower California. Practically the same bird as the last but with the wing very slightly shorter. Nesting habits or eggs will not differ.

615.1. BAHAMAN SWALLOW. _Callichelidon cyaneoviridis._

Range.--Bahamas; casual at Dry Tortugas, Florida.

This very beautiful species is similar to the western Violet-green Swallow, as are also its eggs.

616. BANK SWALLOW. _Riparia riparia._

Range.--Whole of North America, north to the limit of trees, breeding from the middle portions of the United States northward; winters south of our borders.

This dull-colored Swallow is grayish above and white below, with a gray band across the breast, they breed in holes in embankments, digging small tunnels from one to three feet in length, enlarged and lined at the end with gra.s.s and feathers. During May, June or July, according to lat.i.tude, they lay from four to six pure white eggs; size .70 .50.

617. ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW. _Stelgidopteryx serripennis._

Range.--United States, breeding from Mexico north to southern New England, Manitoba and British Columbia; winters south of our borders.

This species is slightly larger than the last and similar but with the throat and breast grayish and with the outer web of the outer primary provided with recurved hooks. They nest in holes in embankments, in crevices in cliffs or among stones of bridges or buildings. Their eggs are like those of the Bank Swallow but average a trifle larger; size .75 .52.

[Ill.u.s.tration 376: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 615--616.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

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WAXWINGS. Family AMPELIDae

618. BOHEMIAN WAXWING. _Bombycilla garrulus_.

Range.--Breeds in the Arctic regions except in the Rockies where it nearly reaches the United States; winters south to the northern tier of states.

This handsome crested, grayish brown Waxwing resembles the common Cedar Waxwing but is larger (length 8 inches), has a black throat, much white and yellow on the wing and a yellow tip to tail. Their nests are made of rootlets, gra.s.s and moss, and situated in trees usually at a low elevation. The eggs resemble those of the Cedar-bird, but are larger and the marking more blotchy with indistinct edges; dull bluish blotched with blackish brown; size .95 .70. Data.--Great Slave Lake, June 23, 1884. Nest in a willow 8 feet from the ground. Collected for Josiah Hooper. (Crandall collection).

619. CEDAR WAXWING. _Bombycilla cedrorum._

Range.--Whole of temperate North America, breeding in the northern half of the United States and northward.

These birds are very gregarious and go in large flocks during the greater part of the year, splitting up into smaller companies during the breeding season and nesting in orchards or groves and in any kind of tree either in an upright crotch or on a horizontal bough; the nests are made of gra.s.ses, strips of bark, moss, string, etc., and are often quite bulky. Their eggs are of a dull grayish blue color sharply speckled with blackish brown; size .85 .60. Data.--Old Saybrook, Conn., June 22, 1900. Nest composed of cinquefoil vines, gra.s.ses, wool and cottony substances; situated on an apple tree branch about 10 feet from the ground. Collector, John N. Clark. This species has a special fondness for cherries, both wild and cultivated, and they are often known as Cherry-birds. They also feed upon various berries, and frequently catch insects in the air after the manner of Flycatchers. Their only notes are a strange lisping sound often barely audible.

[Ill.u.s.tration 377: Dull bluish.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Bohemian Waxwing.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Dull bluish.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Cedar Waxwing.]

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620. PHAINOPEPLA. _Phainopepla nitens_.

Range.--Southwestern United States and Mexico; north to southern Utah and Colorado.

This peculiar crested species is wholly shining blue black except for a patch of white on the inner webs of the primaries. Their habits are somewhat like those of the Cedar-bird, they being restless, and feeding upon berries or insects, catching the latter in the air. They make loosely constructed nests of twigs, mosses, plant fibres, etc., placed on branches of trees, usually below 20 feet from the ground, in thickets or open woods near water; the eggs are two or three in number, light gray, spotted sharply with black; size .88 .65. Data.--Pasadena, Cal., July 15, 1894. Nest in an oak 10 feet up; composed of weeds and string.

Collector, Horace g.a.y.l.o.r.d.

SHRIKES. Family LANIIDae

621. NORTHERN SHRIKE. _Lanius borealis._