82 FISSIROSTRES DIURNI. 



The Chimney Swallow {Hirundo ruMica) * is one of 

 the British s})C'cies, It is very abundant in all parts of 

 Europe during the summer, and in some parts of the 

 Mediterranean district a few individuals remain during 

 the winter. They arrive in this country early in April. 

 On reaching its summei" quarters the Swalh^w usually 

 selects a spot for its place of abode where the habitations 

 of man lie in the vicinity of water, for, in common with 

 a considerable majority of the members of this family, 

 it has a great fondness for skimming over the surfece of 

 large ponds, lakes, and streams. The partiality exhibited 

 for human habitations by this bird is very remarkable, 

 and it is a no less curious circumstance that of the two 

 familiar British species, one, the Swallow, frequents 

 detached country places, villages, and farm-houses, whilst 

 the other, the Martin, takes up its abode in towns, so 

 that Linnaeus denominated the two species If. rustica and 

 H. urhica. 



Although the Chimney Swallow has received its most 

 general name from the somewhat peculiar j^osition in 

 which it frequently builds its nest, it by no means con- 

 fines itself to chimneys, but builds readily in almost any 

 suitaljle sheltered i)osition. Thus the disused shafts of 

 mines and the sides of old wells are sometimes resorted 

 to. Occasionally it will build in the roof of a barn or 

 shed, attaching its nest to the rafters, or in a garret or 

 passage, to which it may find easy access. In almost 

 all cases it selects a point where some projection from 

 the wall, "some coign of vantage ground," forms a 

 buttress, on which its nest may be supported. The 

 nest is constructed principally of mud or soft earth, 

 collected in small pellets from the edges of ponds and 

 other wet i:)laces. These are carried home in the bird's 

 bill, and plastered on to the spot selected for the nest. 

 Fresh pellets are then brought and added, together with 

 numerous straws and leaves of grasses, until the whole 

 is gradually moulded into the form of an open saucer, 

 attached by one side to the wall of the chimney, or other 

 j^lace of retreat. A lining of feathers is then put into 

 the nest, and upon these the eggs are laid. The eggs 

 vary from four to six in number, and are of a white 

 colour, speckled with ash-grey and dark red. Two 

 * Hirundo, a Swallow. 



