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assuming that it was the soUtary progeny of a pair of birds which regularly 

 bred in the byre underneath, and usually had three broods in the season. 

 In their last attempt they only succeeded in hatching one, which I 

 observed in the nest, and remarked at the time how late it was. The 

 old birds were so tame that they would permit my little daughter to lift 

 them off the nest and replace them without alarm." 



The food of the Swallow consists entirely of insects, and it is in 

 pursuit of these that it is seen soaring far above, in the settled days of 

 summer ; and, again, suiting itself to the changes in the weather, skimming 

 close above the surface of the lake, or river, or meadow, along the side 

 of a cliff, a hedge, a paling, or a sheltered avenue of trees. When feeding, 

 it flies with the mouth more or less open ; and the capture of an insect 

 is indicated by an audible snap of the bill : it drinks and laves itself 

 while on the wing. Do the Swallows render any service to mankind 1 

 Yes ; they keep the insect myriads within safe limits. If one of these 

 birds should eat but a hundred insects a day, the number consumed in 

 a summer by the whole swallow family might puzzle a calculating machine 

 to enumerate. Many a farmer can ruefully remember the ravages which 

 "the fly" has often made among his turnips or in his hop-grounds. He 

 may well look upon the Swallows as most useful, though unpaid, labourers. 



I will now give the dates of the Swallow's arrival in different years, as 

 noticed by Mr. Greenip : — 



Let us then, with one consent, welcome in hamlet, village, and town, 

 these confiding summer visitors : wishing them much happiness while 

 here, and giving them a regretful "good-bye" at their departure. 



