THE CHIMNEY SWALLOW. 121 



large wheel revolving under a powerful stream. It 

 was yet dusky, so that I could hardly see the hour 

 on my watch ; but I estimated the time which they 

 took in getting out at more than thirty minutes. 

 After their departure, no noise was heard within, 

 and they dispersed in every direction with the quick- 

 ness of thought."* 



* The Swallows are undoubtedly sociable creatures, 

 seeming disposed at least to be neighborly, and often, when 

 unmolested, manifesting an inclination to live upon terms 

 of intimacy with us which are sometimes inconveniently 

 familiar. Scarcely a farm-house exists but whose chimneys 

 are appropriated to the summer occupancy of one or more 

 families of Swifts. 



Some years ago, at a nobleman's house in Scotland, a 

 pair of Swallows built their nest upon the top bar of a 

 clothes-screen which was hung against the wall in the por- 

 ter's lodge; the young were hatched and flew away. Upon 

 the first appearance of the Swallows the following year, a 

 male bird again entered the apartment and surveyed the 

 premises. Having satisfied himself, he went off, but soon 

 returned with a companion, which at first appeared very 

 shy and timid, but in a short time acquired as much assur- 

 ance as ite mate. They both forthwith set about building 

 a new nest on a small ledge which had been prepared for 

 them as near as possible to the place where that on the 

 clothes-screen had been built, and which had been de- 

 stroyed ; as, while it remained, the screen was of course 

 useless to the family. 



In this nest three broods were reared as before, notwith- 

 standing the almost constant presence of the porter and his 

 wife, who lived and slept in the room. In the Spring of the 

 third year, the male again made his appearance with an- 

 other mate, evidently much younger than her predecessor. 



11 



