516            ECONOMIC RELATIONS OF OUR BIRDS.
Food: From two stomachs were taken sixteen small dragon-flies, seven wee-
vils, all Brevirostres, three rove-beetles, one other beetle, two hymenopterous
in-
sects, one belonging to the Evaniidce, the other having an extent of .22
of an
inch, three winged aphidee, and one dipterous insect equal in size to the
wheat-
midge. In the stomachs of two others were found five weevils, five lamellicorn
beetles, four small dragon-flies, one heteropterous insect belonging to the
tribe
Obscuta, and two winged ants. Two other specimens had eaten nineteen winged
aphicke, five small dragon-flies, nine small beetles, among them a click-beetle
(Elater hieroglyphicus), a weevil and a lamellicorn beetle, and two ichneumon-
flies. Of ten other specimens examined, six had eaten beetles; two, small
grass-
hoppers; and one, only dipterous insects, among them crane-flies.
In the fall, principally myrtle-berries (Wilson). Insects and myrtle-berries
(De Kay).
63. PETROCHELIDON LUNIFRONS (SAY)> CAB. CLIFF SWALLOW; EAVE
SWALLOW. GROUP I. CLASS b.
The Eave Swallow is not uniformly distributed throughout the state, but in
certain localities it is abundant. In Jefferson or Walworth county I have
never
met with them, but in Green Lake and Waupaca they are common. As many
as twenty-five nests, nearly all occupied, have been counted under the eaves
of
a single barn. They affect, chiefly, dry upland fields, wherethey skim about
over wheat fields and meadows. They may frequently be seen sweeping close
to the ground over a freshly cut piece of clover before the grass has been
taken
up, often dipping into the grass for insects.
Food: From the stomach of a specimen shot while skimming over a field of
wheat were taken twelve leaf-hoppers, a green and brown species, seven dipter-
ous insects, one of them a large crane-fly, six small beetles, and two medium-
sized ichneumon-flies.
Dr. Cooper states that he has seen this species catching small grasshoppers
when they were swarming on a dry hillside. Of five specimens examined by
Prof. Forbes, four had eaten hymenoptera, ants, wasps, ichneumons; five,
beetles, ground-beetles, Nititulidan, fungus-beetles, rove-beetles, leaf-chafers,
curculios and long-horns; one, diptera; and two, hemiptera.
64. COTYLE RIPARIA (LINN.), BolE. BANK SWALLOW. GROUP HI. CLASS a.
The Bank Swallow still clings to its ancient breeding habits, and places
its
nest in burrows made in sandy banks and cliffs, usually adjacent to streams
or
lakes, but sometimes where a stone quarry has been opened. Its distribution
is,
therefore, local during the breeding season, and determined by suitable breeding
places. It is social in its habits, and a hundred families often breed together
in a single bank. Wilson states that the Crow sometimes watches at the en-
trance to their nests for the young birds when they emerge.
Food: Small hymenopterous insects, which they take on the wing (De Kay).
65. STELGIDOPTERYX SERRIPENNIS (AuD.), BD. ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW.
GROUP II. CLASS a.
A single specimen of this species was taken while skimming about over Fox
river at Berlin, May 2, 1874. It was in company with a dozen more Swallows,
probably of the same species. It is apparently uncommon here, and Mr. Nelson