130 British Birds, 



spring visitors; and so frequently coming back, the 

 self -same pair of birds apparently, to the self- same 

 nest, that they seem to be almost like members of tho 

 family returning from a temporary absence. The 

 common name, Chimney Swallow, is, however, rather 

 a misnomer. No doubt they build in chimneys freely 

 and frequently, but in many districts the chimney is 

 quite untenanted by any Swallows, while the open 

 roofs of sheds and barns, the under, side of bridges 

 sufficiently flat and uneven to afford the necessary 

 support, disused shafts of mines, and the like, and even 

 parts of unused rooms, or articles of furniture in such 

 rooms, are resorted to. These nests are very con- 

 siderably different from those of the Martin (to be 

 noticed next), inasmuch as they are always completely 

 open above, being so built that there is a sensible 

 space between the greater portion of the edge of the 

 plaster-work of the nest, and the roof or other surface 

 above; while in the case of the Martin's nest, it is 

 always built so as to be closed above by the eaves or 

 other ledge to which it is affixed, requiring a gap or 

 lip — so to speak — to be left in the wall to afford in- 

 gress and egress to the owners. The nest, in either 

 case, is built with many pellets of soft tenacious earth, 

 wrought into form with bits of straw or grass, and 

 afterwards lined with feathers. It is observable that 

 no more work at the nest is done in a day than will 

 readily harden enough to bear the requisite additions 

 of materials above when the time comes for making 

 them. There are usually four, five, or six eggs laid ; 

 white, speckled and spotted with deep red, and a 

 lighter duller shade. — Fi^. 1^, plate IV, 



