114 HABITS OF THE SWALLOW. 



is exclusively an insect-eating bird, and plays a most important part in preserving the 

 balance between the various departments of the animal kingdom. There are many noxious 

 insects which are most valuable in themselves, and which, until the conditions which cause 

 their existence be removed or altered, are actual visible providences towards mankind. But 

 these very creatures are necessarily so extremely prolific, that their increase outgrows their 

 task, and they would themselves become nuisances, did not the Swallow and other similar 

 birds keep down their numbers by day, and the goat-suckers and bats by night. 



To ascertain the truth of this observation, nothing more is necessary than to open the 

 mouth of a Swallow that has been shot while flying, and to turn out the mass of small 

 flies which will be found collected there, and which the bird was intending to take home to 

 its hungry little family. The extraordinary amount of flies and other insects which a Swallow 

 can thus pack into its mouth is almost incredible, for when relieved by the constant pressure 

 to which it is subjected, the black heap begins to swell and enlarge, until it attains nearly 

 double its former size. 



The Swallow wages a never-ceasing war against many species of insects, and seems to 

 be as capricious in its feeding as are the roach and other river fish. At one time it will 

 feed almost exclusively upon gnats and other small flies, and will destroy many thousands of 

 these obnoxious flies in a single day. At another time it will prefer beetles, chasing the 

 Geotrupidse rather than those of any other order. On another occasion it will confine itself to 

 May-flies, catching them as they emerge from their pupal envelopes and flutter soft, fat, and 

 languid on the river bank. Sometimes the Swallow flies at larger prey, and frequenting the 

 neighborhood of bee-hives, swoops with unerring aim upon their inmates as they enter or leave 

 their straw-built houses. It is a very remarkable fact, that the working bee is generally 

 unharmed by the Swallow, which directs its attack chiefly upon the comparatively useless 

 drone. Perhaps the bird may possess an instinctive knowledge of the poisoned weapon with 

 which the worker is armed, and may therefore prefer to attack the large but stingless drone. 



Owing, in all probability, to this insect diet, the flesh of the Swallow is quite unfit for the 

 table, and possesses a very disagreeable flavor. Out of curiosity I once cooked and tried to 

 eat some Swallows that had been shot, and was effectually deterred from the attempt by the 

 peculiar and nauseous character of the flesh, which has some resemblance to a sweet potato in 

 its flavor. Like the generality of predaceous birds, the Swallow ejects the legs, wings and other 

 indigestible portions of its insect prey in little pellets, or "castings." 



The flight of this bird is very rapid and graceful, and is readily distinguished from that of 

 the Swift by certain peculiarities which are not easy to be described, but can be recognized 

 without difficulty. Unlike the Swift, which never settles except on some elevated spot, the 

 Swallow is fond of resting a while on the ground, and may often be seen dusting itself after the 

 fashion of the common sparrow. I have often seen it settle on the patches of sand that are left 

 among the rocks at low water, and from the busy activity which it displayed on such occa- 

 sions imagine it to have been engaged in chasing the sand-flies, or perhaps even the sand- 

 hoppers that swarm so abundantly in such localities. 



When taken young, the Swallow is easily tamed, and after having passed the season of 

 emigration, becomes reconciled to its enforced home and is a very docile and lovable little 

 pet. The poor bird must suffer greatly during this period when its brothers are voyaging 

 to warmer climates, for the organization of all birds is sensitive to a high degree, and especially 

 so in the case of birds of passage. The extreme delicacy of the bird' s nature was well shown 

 in the time of cholera. In the town of Verviers, while that fell disease was carrying away 

 twenty inhabitants per diem out of a population of two thousand, the Swallows and all the 

 singing-birds left the spot, and did not return until the cholera had passed away. 



The voice of the Swallow is vastly more agreeable than the shrill scream of the Swift, and 

 is, although weak and twittering, very musical in its tone and pleasing to the ear. 



The nest of the Swallow is always placed in some locality where it is effectually sheltered 

 from wind and rain. Generally it is constructed under the eaves of houses, but as it is frequently 

 built within disused chimneys, it has given to the species the popular title of Chimney Swallow. 

 The bird is probably attracted to the chimney by the warmth of the fire inside. 



