THE BIOGRAPHY OF A BIRD. 315 



human nature, which consists in the inability to discern in the uni- 

 verse any law by which human life may be guided, there is in the 

 present age less danger than ever, and it is daily made more and more 

 impossible by science itself: of revolt against the Christian law of fra- 

 ternity, there is also less than ever in this age, and that redemption 

 of the poor and that pacification of nations which Christianity first 

 suggested are more prominent than ever among the aspirations of 

 mankind. On the other hand, the organization of the Church seems 

 ill-adapted to the age, and seems to expose it to the greatest danger ; 

 and, what is far more serious, the old elevating communion with God, 

 which Christianity introduced, appears to be threatened by the new 

 scientific theology, which, while presenting to us deeper views than 

 ever of his infinite and awful greatness, and more fascinating views 

 than ever of his eternal beauty and glory, denies for the present to 

 him that human tenderness, justice, and benevolence, which Christ 

 taught us to see in him. Macmilla^i's Magazine. 



** 



THE BIOGKAPHT OF A BIED. 



By ERNEST INGEESOLL. 



THE bird which is the subject of this sketch is familiar to all who 

 walk in green pastures and beside still waters ; for in such 

 haunts do the J3ank-Swallows congregate in merry companies, making 

 up for their want of companionship with man, which is so character- 

 istic of the other hirundines, by a large sociability among themselves. 

 Conservator of ancient ways, it is almost the only swallow which has 

 not attached itself to humanity as soon as it had opportunity, and 

 changed from a savage to a civilized bird. Perhaps it, too, has tried 

 it, long ago, and voluntarily returned to the fields ; for our bank-swal- 

 low is a cosmopolite, and has watched the rise and fall of all the dynas- 

 ties and nationalities that have grouped the centuries into eras, from 

 Nineveh to San Francisco. It is at present an inhabitant of all Europe 

 and eastward to China; of a large part of Africa, especially in win- 

 ter ; and throughout North America, the West Indies, Central Amer- 

 ica, and the northern Andean countries. On both continents its wan- 

 derings extend to the extreme north, where, in Alaska, it is one of the 

 commonest summer visitors. So this modest little bird, smallest of his 

 kind, is entitled to our respect as a traveler at least ; and, to compare 

 the habits and appearance of the representatives in different portions 

 of the globe of so widely distributed a species, becomes a most inter- 

 esting study. 



Gotyle riparia, the bank-swallow, sand-martin, sand-swallow, river- 

 swallow, VhirondeUe de rivage, or back-svala, is generally diff'used over 



