In IVaise of Swallows 



i5y R»»l>cil Sparks Walker 



.\o oiluT j^roiii) of birds contriljiitcs more than do tlu- swallows to im \m h.im 

 of llic human race. They constitute a well (k'liiied Kroup, and they won this 

 hiijh rank as benefactors both to man and beast by their jjcrsistent work in rithlin^ 

 the atmosphere of annoyins^ and dangerous insect ])ests. It is difficult indeed 

 correctly to imaj^ine just what mijijht be the fate of man in many parts of the 

 world, if these busy creatures should fail to appear at the i)roper season when 

 llies, gnats, mosquitoes and other dreaded insects make their appearance. Whether 

 it is providential, or accidental, it is certainly an inlcrestin}^ coincidence that the 

 faithful little swalhnvs make their appearance simultaneously with tlie pestiferous 

 insects upon which they feed. And where do these birds come from? As if 

 by magic, they appear and disappear with the cominj^ and j^oinj,'' of warm weather. 

 \'ery swift in flight, these graceful birds may be observed high in the heavens, 

 tunu'iig graceful curves, darting here and there in pursuit of insect pests, and 

 then in an almost shockingly short time may be observed skimming along at a 

 rapid rate of speed down near the surface of the earth. The mouth of the 

 swallow is very broad, beak short, which makes it an easy matter for it to gulp 

 ui> the insects while flying at a rapid rate. From tlie habit of sj)ending the most 

 of their time on Aving, they have developed two very short and rather weak legs. 



The number of species of swallow is around eighty, and they are found in 

 all parts of the world, excepting that portion uchy the poles. Those that inhabit 

 the colder jiortions of the earth are migratory in habits. In the United States 

 no person has ever found out just where our common swallows go to sj)cnd the 

 winter. .A-s cold weather comes on, they begin to move southward, stopping along 

 the way to visit rivers, lakes or ponds, and then they finally disappear over the 

 Tiulf of Mexico. It is the general belief that the swallow spends its winters 

 sonicwhcrc in South .\merica. 



Of the eighty species of swallow found in the world, only seven inhabit Xorth 

 America, and these range as far north as the Arctic Ocean. The largest swallow 

 is the i)urple martin, and the smallest is the bank swallow! The latter is a wonder- 

 ful little bird wdien it comes to performing work which seems utterly impossible. 

 I or its nest it digs out tunnels in sand banks which end in a large chamber. Just 

 how it can construct these long tunnels with a poor set of tools is not well 

 understood. Some will even utilize the abandoned holes made by neighboring 

 birds. 



The most common swallow found in North America is the barn swallow. 

 The clifT or eaves sw-allow is another familiar bird that also commonly visits the 

 barnyard. The former difTers from the latter in that it possesses a \ery pro- 

 nounced forked tail. Common throughout the United States is the white-bellied 

 or tree swallow. It is a beautiful bird that wears a steel blue coat above and 

 white beneath. The little violet -green swallow found in the western part of the 



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