IIED-FRONTED SU'ALL()\\'. 565 



In fine weather after rain they are often seen flying over the 

 fields, or gliding above the trees, frequently uttering a short 

 series of lively notes, which have some claim to be entitled a 

 song, although people usually call them a chatter. I thought 

 it remarkable that during the annular eclipse of the sun in the 

 summer of 1836, when the Rooks and Sparrows had gone to 

 bed, thinking it was night, this Swallow continued flying about 

 as usual. It commences its labours before sunrise, and continues 

 abroad until dusk, apparently continuing its pursuit all day with 

 little intermission. 



Swallows frequently assail Sparrow Hawks, or at least hover 

 around and endeavour to annoy them, as do many other small 

 birds. They seem to have a special antipathy to young Cuc- 

 koos also. A correspondent in the Magazine of Natural His- 

 tory, Vol. IV, p. 146, relates the following curious instance of 

 audacity in a bird of this species. " In the fine brilliant after- 

 noon of the l7th of last May I was walking through a retired 

 village lane, when a stoat issued from the hedge, and placed 

 himself in the path a few yards before me. A Swallow (Hi- 

 rundo rustica) which was winging its airy circles just by, im- 

 mediately perceived the little intruder upon ' broad- eyed 

 garish day,' and, what I should have conceived completely 

 contrary to its nature, pounced upon him, and straightway 

 forced him to retire to his hiding-place. In a minute after- 

 wards, however, the stoat again appeared ; when the bird, hav- 

 ing taken another round in the air, again obliged him to re- 

 treat. This was repeated four several times ; and to my eye, 

 it appeared that once the stoat was actually assaulted by the 

 swallow ; but in this I am inclined to think I must have been 

 mistaken. At length, however, tired of the gambols of the 

 frolicksome bird, the little quadruped, which in all probability 

 under other circumstances would have made a hearty meal of 

 his audacious prey, disappeared in the hedge, and I saw no 

 more of him." 



This species arrives in the south of Scotland from the 20th 

 of April to the 5th of May, seldom earlier or later about Edin- 

 burgh. In the Statistical Account of Paisley, it is stated that 

 *' between the 8th and IStli of April, the Hirundo riparia, rus- 



