840 Home Nature-Study Course. 



may be seen along streams or other damp places gathering mud for the nest. 

 It seems necessary that they should have a clay mud in order to render the nest 

 strong enough to support the eggs and nestlings. The eggs are white spotted 

 with, reddish-brown. The parents cling to the edges of the nest when feeding the 

 young. Both the Bam and Eave Swallows are metallic blue above, but the Eave 

 Swallow has a forehead of cream-white and a rump of pale brick-red and its tail 

 is square across the end in flight, while the Bam Swallow has a chestnut forehead 

 and its outer tail feathers are long, making a distinct fork during flight and it has no 

 red upon the rump. 



Lesson XLVIII. 



the barn swallow. 



Purpose. — To induce the pupils to make a more careful study of the 

 appearance and habits of this interesting bird. 



Observations: 



(i). Where does the bam swallow place its nest? 



(2). What is the shape of the nest? 



(3). Of what material is the nest made? 



(4). What is the color of the eggs? 



(5). Have you ever heard the bam swallow sing? 



(6). Describe the feeding of the young and the sounds made by the 

 young and parent. 



(7). Do both parents build the nest and feed the young? 



(8). Is there usually more than one nest in the same locality? 



(9). When the young swallows are large enough to leave the nest 

 describe how the parents continue to care for them. 



(10). When do the barn swallows migrate and where do they go 

 during the winter? 



(11). How can you distinguish a barn swallow from an eave swallow? 



Facts for the teacher. — The Bam Swallow choo.ses a bam where there is a hole in 

 the gable or where the doors arc kept open all the time. They build upon beams 

 or rafters, making a cup-shaped nest of layers of pellets of mud with grass between 

 and well lined with feathers. The nest is usually in the shape of half of a shallow 

 cup which has been cut in two lengthwise, the cut side being plastered against the 

 side of the rafter. Sometimes the nests are more or less supported upon a beam 

 or rafter. The eggs are white and dotted with reddish-brown. The Barn Swallows, 

 aside from their constant musical twittering, have also a rather pretty song. Both 

 parents work at building the nest and feeding the young, and there are likely to 

 be several pairs nesting in the same building. The parents continue to feed the 

 young long after they have left the nest and often a whole family may be seen 

 sitting on a telegraph wire or wire fence the parents still feeding them. The 

 Barn Swallow comes the latter part of April and leaves early in September; it 

 winters as far south as Brazil. The Bam Swallow has a distinctly tailor-made 



