96 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



fication of Audubon the red-winged blackbird or starling, 

 and the sparrows being seed-eating, the crow, being of the 

 same class, was classified as such. It is true that the crow 

 eats almost anything, at any time, and it is simply placed in 

 that class from the structure of its crop. 



Mr. Hubbard. Rather than through its observed habits ? 



Prof. Stearns. Yes sir, rather than through its observed 

 habits ; but its habits correspond very closely with those of 

 other birds of the same class. 



Then in regard 4^0 the swallow : there are two species of 

 swallow, one is the eaves swallow, which builds outside the 

 barn, and does not build inside at all ; the other is the barn 

 swallow, which builds inside, and does not build outside at 

 all. They are totally different. The two species, although 

 having their nests inside and outside of the same barn, have 

 no connection with each other at all. 



Mr. Wetherell of Boston. I think Mr. Hubbard has 

 struck upon the true explanation of the fact to which refer- 

 ence has been made, when he says that the swallow is largely 

 shut out of our barns by their construction. I remember 

 that in closing a barn, that I have requested that a swallow- 

 hole should be cut, and the consequence is, that there are a 

 great many swallows in that barn, where formerly there were 

 very few. 1 think that accounts,, in part, for the disappear- 

 ance of swallows about some of our farm buildings. In 

 regard to the remark made by the Professor, that the barn 

 swallow never builds outside, permit me to say that I have 

 known instances where they built near the corner of the 

 eaves of the barn. I recollect seeing it on my father's barn. 



The swallow called the " Republican swallow," I regard as 

 a new comer in New England. It is a western bird, I be- 

 lieve. When I was a boy, I never saw that bird, or heard its 

 note, and the first I saw built their nests somewhat in the 

 method the Professor has described, under the eaves of the 

 barn. I think the swallow is a good bird to have about a 

 barn, as it catches a great many flies that trouble the cows 

 and other animals. 



