SIDE lylGHTS ON BIRDS 



" sus " are indiscriminately rendered " swallow." 



It has been pointed out that the former — 

 literally " bird of freedom " — alone refers to the 

 swallow or martin : whereas the latter is un- 

 questionably intended to designate the swift. 



By this discrimination, apparent contradictions 

 disappear, and the full force of the different 

 passages is brought out. In Palestine the 

 swallow is not a regular migrant, many birds 

 remaining in the warmer parts of the country 

 throughout the winter. 



Again the note of the swallow is a soft gentle 

 twitter, which might be taken as representing 

 restfulness and security. The swift, on the other 

 hand is conspicuous for the suddenness of its 

 re-appearance in spring, and by the thousands 

 in which in a single day it overspreads the whole 

 country. In addition its cry is a shrill scream, 

 which well might be interpreted as an expression 

 of pain. 



Thus the swift, together with the crane, and the 

 turtle-dove may be regarded above other birds 

 as ' ' knowing the time of their coming " and the 

 waiHng of the sick king Hezekiah might fitly be 

 compared to the querulous cry of the swift : 

 the swallow, on the other hand, being used to 

 typify gentler emotions and happy pastoral 

 scenes. 



The cuckoo is referred to on two occasions, and 

 is classed with the unclean birds. Although 

 our cuckoo is common in Palestine as a summer 

 migrant, it is thought that the references in 

 question are rather to the shearwater, which is 

 eaten in the East, and to the various species of the 

 sea-gull. 



The dove is a bird which beyond all others has 

 been used as the emblem of many sacred mys- 

 teries. In addition to the pigeons, which swarm 



162 



