hirundinidæ

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. A family of fissirostral oscine passerine birds; the swallows. They have 9 primaries, a short, flat, wide, deeply cleft bill, long pointed wings, a diversiform tail, usually forked or emarginate, small feet, and a lithe slender body. There are about 100 species of the family, divided into numerous modern genera, all insectivorous, migratory, and great flyers. Leading genera are Hirundo, Chelidon, Petrochelidon, Cotile (or Clivicola), Stelgidoptaryx, Atticora, and Progne. See swallow, martin.