56 BIRDS OF LANCASHIRE. 



FAMILY HIRUNDINID^.— GENUS HIEUNDO. 



SWALLOW. 



HiRUNDO RUSTicA, Linnffius. 



A summer visitor, everywhere common. In mild 

 seasons it will appear as early as the 10th or 11th of 

 April, but is usually about a week later. There is a 

 great want of unanimity in its arrangements for de- 

 parture, the first flocks going before the end of August, 

 and the bulk in September, whilst a few may be seen 

 any year in October, and stragglers have over and over 

 again been recorded early in November. In its breeding 

 habits there is little variation, but Mr. J. F. Brockholes 

 once saw a nest, composed of the ordinary materials, 

 built in a tree at Maghull, and formed like a Chaffinch's 

 among the twigs. The eggs are laid from early in 

 June, and are generally five, but sometimes four, in 

 number, two broods being hatched in the season. 



[In The Zoologist for 1886 (p. 248), Mr. W. F. 

 Brockholes has recorded the great destruction caused 

 by the severe weather of the second week in May. As 

 many as 150 Swallows and Martins were picked up at 

 a country-house near Preston ; nearly 100, almost all 

 Swallows, were found at St. Michael' s-on-Wyre, and 64 

 at a mill near Garstang ; 39'2 Swallows, 65 House- 

 Martins, 2 Sand-Martins, 8 Swifts, and 10 Land-Kails 

 were found dead near Preston. This is merely one 

 instance of a loss of life which was tolerably general in 

 England.— Ed.] 



