THE BARN SWALLOW. 



87 



You have read already about the mud nests of the 

 swallows ; in them the young are fed, and from them 

 the young are coaxed by their parents to try their 

 wings. They fly only a short distance at first, their 

 parents flying past them, calling and showing them 

 how easy it is. Soon the wings of the little ones 

 grow stronger, and before many days the young are 

 skilful enough in the 

 air to take food from 

 their parents while they 

 are flying. This is one 

 of the prettiest sights 

 to be seen in Bird 

 World. The parent 

 gives a note which 

 means " Come on, 

 have something for 

 you." The young bird 

 flies toward the old 

 one, and as they meet 

 both fly upward, their bills touch, and the food passes 

 from one to the other. 



Wonderful wings swallows have, and wonderfully 

 skilful and graceful is their flight. Backward and for- 

 ward they pass, now with a sudden turn to the side, or 

 a little upward one over a hedge, turning corners, slip- 

 ping between men and horses, all without an effort. 



Fig. 



— Swallow. 



