200 THE WHITE-RUMPED (OR WINDOW) SWALLOW. 



wind-bound vessel seeking shelter during the storms of winter — 

 and are glad to take the first chance of Spring to leave us for 

 their native homes to carry on the same law — so instinctively 

 implanted in all creatures for the perpetual continuation of their 

 kind. They begin to build about a month after their arrival. 

 In 1889 I saw them first on the 4th of May, and at half-past 

 nine at night on the 4th of June, when I was working at the 

 upper harbour, the tide ebb, half a dozen alighted beside me 

 and dug at the clay with their bills, and flew off with the 

 pellets round it. Swallows are not so abundant about St 

 Andrews as they use to be ; perhaps the extreme sanitary laws 

 and fastidious cleanliness in tearing clown the nests from 

 window corners may have something to do with it. Possibly 

 the drainage of swampy ground and the smaller lochs may 

 lessen the number of swallows, by lessening their supply of 

 food — as Nature always balances her supply and demand. 



In Germany and Sweden it is different, for dozens of their 

 nests are seen crowded together under every low-roofed 

 cottage. Mr Wolley, writing from Swedish Lapland, says : — 

 "The house- martin is very abundant here. Bound the court- 

 yard of a peasant's house I counted 160 nests still remaining, 

 although all those upon one side had lately fallen down. It is 

 a general favourite, and the people everywhere nail up narrow 

 boards upon the walls to support the nests. There are often 

 three or four rows, one above the other, just room for the nests 

 between the boards," bearing out Shakespeare's simile, in the 

 choice of Portia's casquet — 



"Like the fool multitude, that choose by show, 

 Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach ; 

 Which pries not to the anterior, but, like the martlet, 

 Builds in the weather on the outward ivall." 



Unlike his cutting allusion to the flight of Cleopatra's navy : — 



" The brize upon her, like a cow in June, 

 Hoists sail and flies." 

 While 



" The noble ruin of her magic, Antony, 

 Claps on his sea- wing, and like a doting mallard, 

 Leaving the fight in height, flies after her." 



But it were a pity if in Britain, the home of every wanderer, 

 anything were done to lessen the numbers of this joyous and 

 welcome harbinger of Summer. For 



" A day in April never came so sweet 

 To show how costly Summer was at hand, 

 As these fore-flyers come before their lord." 



