THE SWALLOW 



HiRUNDO RUSTICA 



The Swallow is more familiar as a welcome herald 

 of the spring than as a songster, although, as we 

 shall shortly learn, his musical powers are by no 

 means the least part of his attractiveness. Few 

 birds are more widely distributed than this species, 

 and we find it in all localities suited to its require- 

 ments throughout the British Islands. It even visits 

 such remote districts as the Hebrides and St. Kilda, 

 the Orkneys and the Shetlands, although it may not 

 habitually breed in them. Outside Britain its 

 summer range is equally extended, for we find the 

 bird at that season almost universally dispersed over 

 Europe, nearly up to or in some parts even beyond 

 the Arctic Circle. It also visits Siberia, at least as far 

 east as the valley of the Yenesay, and breeds regu- 

 larly in Arabia, Asia Minor, Persia, Afghanistan, 

 Turkestan and North India (Himalayas), whilst in 

 the district of Calcutta it is said to be a resident. 

 The winter range includes India and Africa, but in 

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