very short, much depressed and very broad at the base, compressed toward the tip; upper mandible with the dorsal line convex, the edges overlapping, with a small notch close to the slightly decurved tip. Head broad, depressed; neck very short, body moderate. Feet very short, tarsus very short, anteriorly scutellate; toes of moderate size; first large, all scutellate in their whole length; claws rather strong, compressed, well curved, acute. Plumage soft, blended, glossy. No bristles at the base of the bill. Wings extremely long, narrow, pointed, somewhat falciform; secondaries very short. Tail generally emarginate, of twelve feathers. Mouth extremely wide; œsophagus rather wide, without crop; stomach elliptical or roundish, muscular, with a dense rugous epithelium; cœca very small. Four pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest in holes in banks, buildings, or trees, or attached to the surface of these objects. Eggs from four to six, white, plain, or spotted.
GENUS I. HIRUNDO, Linn. SWALLOW
Characters as above; tail emarginate or forked.
45. 1. Hirundo purpurea, Linn. Purple Martin
Plate XXIII. Male and Female.
Bill rather stout; wings as long as the tail, which is deeply emarginate. Plumage silky, shining, purplish-black, with steel blue reflections; quills and tail-feathers brownish-black; tarsi and toes purplish-black. Female with the upper parts paler, and tinged with grey, the lower light grey, longitudinally streaked with black.
Male, 71/2, 16. Female, 74/12, 159/12.
From the Texas northward. Rocky Mountains, and all intermediate districts. Migratory.
Purple Martin, Hirundo purpurea, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 58.
Hirundo purpurea, Bonap. Syn. p. 64.
Purple Martin, Hirundo purpurea, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 598.
Purple Martin, Hirundo purpurea, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 115; v. v. p. 408.
46. 2. Hirundo bicolor. Vieill. White-bellied Swallow
Plate XCVIII. Male and Female.
Wings a little longer than the tail, which is deeply emarginate. Upper parts steel blue, with green reflections, lower white; feet flesh-coloured. Female similar to the male.
Male, 51/4, 10. Female.
From Texas northward. Columbia River, and all intermediate districts. Winters in Florida and Louisiana.
Green-blue or White-bellied Swallow, Hirundo viridis, Wils. Amer. Ornith. v. iii. p. 44.
Hirundo bicolor, Bonap. Syn. p. 65.
White-bellied Swallow, Hirundo bicolor, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 605.
White-bellied Swallow, Hirundo bicolor, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 491; v. v. p. 417.
47. 3. Hirundo fulva, Vieill. Cliff-Swallow, – Republican Swallow
Bill shorter than in the last species; wings of the same length as the tail, which is slightly emarginate. Upper part of head, back, and smaller wing-coverts black with bluish-green reflections; forehead white, generally tinged with red; loral space and a band on the lower part of the forehead black; chin, throat, and sides of the neck deep brownish-red; a patch of black on the fore-neck; rump light yellowish-red; lower parts greyish-white, anteriorly tinged with red. Female similar to the male. Young dark greyish-brown above, reddish-white beneath.
Male, 51/2, 12. Female, 54/12, 123/4.
From Kentucky northward. Abundant from New York to Nova Scotia. Columbia River. Rocky Mountains. Migratory.
Fulvous or Cliff Swallow, Hirundo fulva, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 63.
Hirundo fulva, Bonap. Syn. p. 64.
Fulvous or Cliff Swallow, Hirundo fulva, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 603.
Republican or Cliff Swallow, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 353; v. v. p. 415.
48. 4. Hirundo rustica, Linn. Chimney-Swallow. – Barn-Swallow
Plate CLXXIII. Male and Female.
Tail very deeply forked, the lateral feathers much exceeding the wings. Forehead and throat bright chestnut; upper parts and a band on the fore-neck glossy deep steel-blue; quills and tail brownish-black glossed with green; the latter with a white spot on the inner web of each of the feathers, except the two middle. Female similar to the male. Young less deeply coloured, the forehead and throat pale red, the band on the fore-neck dusky tinged with red; lateral tail-feathers not exceeding the wings.
Male, 7, 13. Female, 65/12, 129/12.
Throughout North America, Europe, and Africa. Migratory.
Barn Swallow, Hirundo Americana, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. v. p. 34.
Hirundo Americana, American Barn Swallow, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 329.
Hirundo rufa, Bon. Syn. p. 64.
Barn Swallow, Hirundo rufa, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 601.
Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 413; v. v. p. 411.
49. 5. Hirundo thalassina, Swains. Violet-green Swallow
Plate CCCLXXXV. Fig. 4. Male. Fig. 5. Female.
Bill narrower than in the preceding species; wings extremely long, extending far beyond the tail, which is emarginate. Upper part of head deep green, gradually shaded into the dark purple of the hind neck; back rich grass-green, rump and upper tail-coverts carmine purple; a line over the eye, cheeks, and all the lower parts pure white, excepting the wing-coverts, which are light grey. Female with the upper part of the head and hind neck light greyish-brown, glossed with green; the back as in the male, the rump greyish-brown; lower parts white, anteriorly tinged with grey.
Male, 410/12, wing 46/12.
California, Rocky Mountains, and Oregon Territory. Migratory.
Hirundo thalassinus, Swains. Syn. of Mex. Birds, Phil. Mag. for 1827, p. 365.
Violet-green Swallow, Hirundo thalassina, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 597.
50. 6. Hirundo riparia, Linn. Bank Swallow
Plate CCCLXXXV. Fig. 1. Male. Fig. 2. Female. Fig. 3. Young.
Tail slightly forked, margin of first quill smooth, tarsus with a tuft of feathers behind; upper parts greyish-brown, lower whitish, with a dusky band across the fore part of the neck. Young with the feathers of the upper parts margined with reddish-white.
Male, 5, 11. Female, 47/8.
From Texas northward. Rocky Mountains. Columbia River. Migratory; but vast numbers winter in Florida.
Bank Swallow or Sand Martin, Hirundo riparia, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. v. p. 46.
Hirundo riparia, Bonap. Syn. p. 65.
Hirundo
