HIRUNDO RUSTICA. 193 



female ; the male is only brighter in colour and has the tail longer. 

 It is about 8 J long and 14 inches in extent of wings. Swallows 

 fly high or low, according to their insect food ; in fine weather 

 generally high, in rain or cold winds, when insects keep low 

 and seek the shelter of walls and trees, swallows do the same, 

 and may be seen skimming close to the surface, shooting rapidly 

 past — even in the streets and walks around us. The red-fronted 

 swallow in summer, like the red-breasted robin in winter, seeks 

 the vicinity of man, and will be seen skimming around every 

 town, village, and farm steading ; and although not song 

 birds, the male warbles a sweet low twitter. Its food consists 

 of insects caught on the wing. It does not swallow each at 

 once, for when one is shot on the wing a lot of flies will be 

 found adhering to a gummy saliva around its mouth, which I 

 have seen. For a time the old birds feed the young on the 

 wing. When some insects have been caught, the old bird with 

 low cheeps calls the young one ; the two rise a little, and poise 

 themselves until the transfer is made, then away they flit on 

 their tireless avocations. Although swallows probably have 

 received their name from the old notion of their flying with 

 open mouth, and swallowing their prey, it would be needless, 

 besides tiresome, for their sight is so acute that in the midst of 

 their rapid flight they will abruptly deviate several feet, and 

 even yards, to secure an insect, then away again. Over a pond 

 or pool you may see a lot of swallows collected in a quiet even- 

 ing, and when flies are abundant they skim more leisurely and 

 sweep in smaller curves, so that their motions and habits can 

 be easily studied. Every now and then you may see one 

 flutter over the water and pick up a fly from the surface, as 

 they do above manure heaps ; indeed, their mission being to 

 catch flies — like money-grubs, gold — they do so on every 

 occasion and wherever they can. They begin before sunrise, 

 and continue their avocation with little interruption till dusk. 

 The red-fronted and window swallows arrive here about the 

 middle of April, but do not begin to make their nest till the 

 end of May. They are in no hurry, sometimes taking a month 

 to complete it ; but if it should fall they can build a new one in 

 a week. The sand martin usually comes before this species, 

 but this year, 1892, they were a few days behind. According to 

 my own observations, its name of " chimney swallow" is a mis- 

 nomer, for I have never seen its nest in a chimney. It 

 generally builds under the eaves of sheds and outhouses, or on 

 beams and rafters, but open at the top. They sometimes build 



