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BLUE GROSBEAK （Guiraca carulea） Finch family
Length 7 inches。 About an inch larger than the English sparrow。 Male Deep blue； dark； and almost black on the back； wings and tail black； slightly edged with blue； and the former marked with bright chestnut。 Cheeks and chin black。 Bill heavy and bluish。 Female Grayish brown above； sometimes with bluish tinge on head； lower back； and shoulders。 Wings dark olive…brown； with faint buff markings； tail same shade as wings； but witb bluish gray markings。 Underneath brownish cream…color； the breast feathers often blue at the base。 Range United States； from southern New England westward to the Rocky Mountains and southward into Mexico and beyon d。M ost common in the Southwest。 Rare along the Atlantic seaboard。 Migrations May。 September。 Summer resident。
This beautiful but rather shy and solitary bird occasionally wanders eastward to rival the bluebird and the indigo bunting in their rare and lovely coloring； and eclipse them both in song。 Audubon； we remember； found the nest in New Jersey。 Pennsylvania is still favored with one now and then； but it is in the Southwest only that the blue grosbeak is as common as the evening grosbeak is in the Northwest。 Since rice is its favorite food； it naturally abounds where that cereal grows。 Seeds and kernels of the hardest kinds； that its heavy； strong beak is well adapted to crack； constitute its diet when it strays beyond the rice…fields。
Possibly the heavy bills of all the grosbeaks make them look stupid whether they are or not a characteristic that the blue grosbeak's habit of sitting motionless with a vacant stare many minutes at a time unfortunately emphasizes。
When seen in the roadside thickets or tall weeds； such as the field sparrow chooses to frequent； it shows little fear of man unless actually approached and threatened； but whether this fearlessness comes from actual confidence or stupidity is by no means certain。 Whatever the motive of its inactivity； it accomplishes an end to be desired by the cleverest bird； its presence is almost never suspected by the passer…by； and its grassy nest on a tree…branch； containing three or four pale bluish…white eggs； is never betrayed by look or sign to the marauding small boy。
BARN SWALLOW （Chelidon erythrogaster） Swallow family
Length 6。5 to 7 inches。 A trifle larger than the English sparrow。 Apparently considerably larger； because of its wide wingspread。 Male Glistening steel…blue shading to black above。 Chin； breast； and underneath bright chestnut…brown and brilliant buff that glistens in the sunlight。 A partial collar of steel…blue。 Tail very deeply forked and slender。 Female Smaller and paler； with shorter outer tail feathers； making the fork less prominent。 Range Throughout North America。 Winters in tropics of both Americas。 Migrations April。 September。 Summer resident。
Any one who attempts to describe the coloring of a bird's plumage knows how inadequate words are to convey a just idea of the delicacy； richness； and brilliancy of the living tints。 But； happily； the beautiful barn swallow is too familiar to need description。 Wheeling about our barns and houses； skimming over the fields； its bright sides flashing in the sunlight； playing 〃cross tag〃 with its friends at evening； when the insects； too； are on the wing； gyrating； darting； and gliding through the air； it is no more possible to adequately describe the exquisite grace of a swallow's flight than the glistening buff of its breast。
This is a typical bird of the air； as an oriole is of the trees and a sparrow of the ground。 Though the swallow may often be seen perching on a telegraph wire； suddenly it darts off as if it had received a shock of electricity； and we see the bird in its true element。
While this swallow is peculiarly American； it is often confounded with its European cousin Hirundo rustica in noted ornithologies。
Up in the rafters of the barn； or in the arch of an old bridge that spans a stream； these swallows build their bracket…like nests of clay or mud pellets intermixed with straw。 Here the noisy little broods pick their way out of the white eggs curiously spotted with brown and lilac that were all too familiar in the marauding days of our childhood。
CLIFF SWALLOW （Petrochelidon lunifrons） Swallow family
Called also： EAVE SWALLOW； CRESCENT SWALLOW； ROCKY MOUNTAIN SWALLOW
Length 6 inches。 A trifle smaller than the English sparrow。 Apparently considerably larger because of its wide wingspread。 Male and Female Steel…blue above； shading to blue…black on crown of head and on wings and tail。 A brownish…gray ring around the neck。 Beneath dusty white； with rufous tint。 Crescent…like frontlet。 Chin； throat； sides of head； and tail coverts rufous。 Range North and South America。 Winters in the tropics。 Migrations Early April。 Late September。 Summer resident。
Not quite so brilliantly colored as the barn swallow； nor with tail so deeply forked； and consequently without so much grace in flying； and with a squeak rather than the really musical twitter of the gayer bird； the cliff swallow may be positively identified by the rufous feathers of its tail coverts； but more definitely by its crescent…shaped frontlet shining like a new moon； hence its specific Latin name from luna = moon； and frons = front。
Such great numbers of these swallows have been seen in the far West that the name of Rocky Mountain swallows is sometimes given to them； though however rare they may have been in 1824； when DeWitt Clinton thought he 〃discovered〃 them near Lake Champlain； they are now common enough in all parts of the United States。
In the West this swallow is wholly a cliff…dweller； but it has learned to modify its home in different localities。 As usually seen； it is gourd…shaped； opened at the top； built entirely of mud pellets （〃bricks without straw〃）； softly lined with feathers and wisps of grass； and attached by the larger part to a projecting cliff or eave。
Like all the swallows； this bird lives in colonies； and the clay…colored nests beneath the eaves of barns are often so close together that a group of them resembles nothing so much as a gigantic wasp's nest。 It is said that when swallows pair they are mated for life； but； then； more is said about swallows than the most tireless bird…lover could substantiate。 The tradition that swallows fly low when it is going to rain may be easily credited； because the air before a storm is usually too heavy with moisture for the winged insects； upon which the swallows feed； to fly high。
MOURNING DOVE （Zenaidura macroura） Pigeon family
Called also： CAROLINA DOVE； TURTLE DOVE
Length 12 to 13 inches。 About one…half as large again as the robin。 Male Grayish brown or fawn…color above； varying to bluish gray。 Crown and upper part of head greenish blue； with green and golden metallic reflections on sides of neck。 A black spot under each ear。 Forehead and breast reddish buff； lighter underneath。 （General impression of color； bluish fawn。） Bill black； with tumid； fleshy covering； feet red； two middle tail feathers longest； all others banded with black and tipped with ashy white。 Win