BARN SWALLOW. 159 



Family HIRUNDIXID.i:. Genus IIirundo. 



BARN SWALLO W. 



HiRUNDO RUSTICA, Lttinmis. 



Double Brooded. Laying season, May and July. 



British breeding area : With the exception of the 

 Outer Hebrides, the Orkneys and the Shetlands (where 

 it only exceptionally breeds), the Barn Swallow breeds 

 throughout the British Islands in all localities suited to 

 its requirements, becoming, however, more local and less 

 numerous in the wilder and northern districts. It is not 

 improbable that this species may breed occasionally in 

 St. Kilda (conf. Ibis, 1885, p. 360). 



Breeding habits : The Swallow is a summer visitor 

 to our islands, arriving from the second or third week in 

 April onwards to the beginning of May, according to 

 latitude. It is most abundant in well-cultivated districts, 

 in country villages, near farmsteads and outbuildings, 

 but is by no means rare even in wild uplands in the 

 neighbourhood of the few houses that there occur. In 

 my opinion the Swallow pairs for life, and most readers 

 have probably remarked its annual return to certain 

 favourite spots to breed ; not, however, using the same nest 

 each season, as the House Martin generally does. The 

 usual site for the nest of this Swallow is in or on a build- 

 ing of some kind, although there can be little doubt that 

 holes in trees and rocks and caves were formerly its 

 accustomed situation. Even now it occasionally resorts 

 to these places, more frequently abroad, however, than 

 in our densely-populated islands. The Swallow is more 

 or less gregarious, and breeds in colonies of \'ar}-ing size, 

 according to the amount of accommodation offered. 

 In our islands the nest is usually made in a shed, barn, 



