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 riparia, Sand Martin, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 333.
Bank Swallow or Sand Martin, Hirundo riparia, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 607.
Bank Swallow or Sand Martin, Hirundo riparia, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 584.