138 Observations on Periodical Birds. 
stantly find are eight pairs.”” Now, as these 
birds usually make their nests in the same 
situations, this alone, is a strong proof of 
their identity: great additional weight, how- 
ever, is given to this proof, by the peculiarity 
of the situations in which such birds occa- 
sionally build. For three successive years, 
a pair of swallows built in a pig-sty be- 
longing toa relation of mine, their ingress 
and egress being by a very low entrance: and 
in Bewick’s History of British Birds, Vol. 
1. p. 253, it is stated on the authority of Sir 
John Trevelyan, Bart., that ‘at Camerton 
Hall, near Bath, a pair of swallows built 
their nest on the upper part of the frame of 
an old picture over the chimney, coming 
through a broken pane in the window of the 
room. ‘Chey came three years successively, 
and in all probability would have continued 
to do so if the room had not been put into 
repair, which prevented their access to it.” 
White, in speaking of the Selborne swifts, 
(Hist. Sel., p. 186,) says, ‘they frequent in 
this village several abject cottages; yet a 
succession still haunts the same unlikely 
roofs: a good proof this,”’ he observes, “that 
the same birds return to the same spots:’’ and 
he remarks of the martin, (p. 161,) that, 
“the birds that return yearly bear no manner 
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