90 GRAY LADY AND THE BIRDS 
join in the community life that they live through the 
winter, the Swallows are constantly on the wing. 
The day that we had the orchard party you all noticed 
the Swallows flying over the pond between the orchard 
and river woods, sometimes alighting so close together on 
the bushes as to be as thick as the leaves, and then again 
stringing along the telegraph wires, above the highway, 
some heading one way and some another until, evidently 
at a signal, they flew off again and disappeared in the 
distance, until they seemed but a cloud of smoke. 
We agreed, I think, some time ago, that it is much better 
to learn the real names of people, animals, and flowers than 
to simply give general names. It is more definite to say, 
“T saw a Swallow” flying over the moor or meadow, than 
to say, “I saw abird”’ flying over the meadow; but it would 
be more interesting still if we tell the name of the par- 
ticular kind of Swallow that was seen, for among the many 
kinds that exist at least five are quite common, according 
to the part of the United States in which one lives. 
Can any of you tell me the names of these Swallows, 
how they differ in plumage, and where they live? I can 
see by Dave’s face that he knows something about them 
and I think Sarah Barnes does also, while as for Tommy 
Todd, both hands are up in spite of jack-knife and the 
windmill he is making and he can hardly wait for me to 
stop. 
“Now, Tommy, how many kinds of Swallows do you 
know?” 
“Three!” he replied promptly. ‘“ Barn Swallows, and 
Chimney Swallows, and Dirt Swallows!” 
“T have heard of Barn and Chimney Swallows, but 
