SWALLOW ROOSTS AND MIGRATION 



at Ipswich, the swallows often clustered on 

 the fence rails, but since the erection of these 

 '^ way-side crucifixes," as Frank Bolles called 

 telegraph poles, the lowlier perches have been 

 forsaken. 



One may see lines of these birds stretching, 

 with but few gaps, on a couple of wires for 

 a mile. Such congregations number several 

 thousand, and all four species may be seen 

 sitting shoulder to shoulder in the most 

 friendly and democratic manner. At times, 

 especially on marsh roads, where there are 

 neither retaining fences nor overhead wires, 

 the swallows cover the ground itself in 

 patches, taking flight reluctantly as the way- 

 farer advances upon them. 



Another favorite resting place by day is in 

 the salt marshes, where the birds cover every 

 available projection such as fence posts, stad- 

 dles, gunner's blinds and stranded branches of 

 trees. 



Swallows are certainly fond of the water 

 and delight to gather about ponds near the 

 seashore. I have seen as many as two thou- 

 sand in such a situation in Ipswich. The great 

 majority of these were tree swallows, but here 

 and there a barn sw^allow and a diminutive 



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