256 OUR FAVOURITE SONG BIRDS 



the latter continent is not yet accurately defined, and 

 certainly does not reach beyond the Tropics, perhaps 

 not beyond the Equator. It also breeds in Algeria 

 and the other parts of North Africa, which may in- 

 clude a portion of its winter range on that continent. 

 The Swallow reaches the more southern parts of 

 the British Islands about the second or third week in 

 April, but not before the beginning of May the more 

 remote northern districts. A bird so familiar as the 

 Swallow requires no introductory description. It is 

 the one British species of this family that combines 

 a uniform metallic blue-black upper parts' with 

 acutely elongated outermost tail feathers. Its 

 favourite haunts are in the vicinity of our dwellings, 

 sometimes in large towns ; and during the entire 

 period of its stay upon our shores it may be remarked 

 in their vicinity. Most of its active life is passed 

 upon the wing, in ceaseless quest of the minute 

 insects on which it feeds, and as an example of avine 

 flight its aerial performance is almost unsurpassed, 

 not only for endurance, but for speed and variety of 

 evolution. Swallows are everywhere welcomed and 

 protected, their familiarity and complete harmlessness 

 appealing to the least sentimental of us, and winning 

 an immunity from harm which few other birds enjoy. 

 The actions of this bird are too well known to need 

 much detailed description here. Every reader must 

 have watched the birds in their rapid flight, skim- 

 ming over the meadows or the water, up and down 



