THE SWALLOW. 273 



them take the alarm." The Bird of Paradise is found in 

 New Guinea and the Papuan Islands. 



The Following Mr. Wallace's order we come now 



Tanagers. t o the second class of the perching birds, the 

 Tanagroid perchers, with the more important species of 

 which we will now proceed to deal. 



The Tanagers are found in America and the West 



Tansger. Indian Islands. Wilson, the American ornitholo- 

 gist, describing the scarlet Tanager, says : " Among all other 

 birds that inhabit our woods, there is none that strikes the 

 eye of the stranger or even a native with so much brilliancy 

 as this. Seen among the green leaves, with the light falling 

 strongly on his plumage, he really appears beautiful. If he 

 has little melody in his notes to charm us, he has nothing 

 in them to disgust. His manners are modest, easy and in- 

 offensive; he commits no depredations on the property of the 

 husbandman, but rather benefits him by the daily destruction 

 in spring of many noxious insects; and when winter ap- 

 proaches he is no plundering dependant, but seeks in a distant 

 country for that sustenance which the severity of the season 

 denies to his industry in this. He is a striking ornament to 

 our rural scenery and none of the meanest of our rural song- 

 sters. " Its body is scarlet and its wings and tail are black. 

 One species of the Tanager is known as the Organist Tanager 

 from the richness of its tones. 



The Swallow. Though only a summer friend the swallow is 

 among the most popular of birds in England. It arrives 

 in April and is always sure of a hearty welcome, and when 

 it leaves in September for its long journey across the sea no 

 one would withhold from it a " God speed ". The swallow 

 builds under the eaves of houses, always selecting dry and 

 sheltered spots. Its flight is very rapid, and is a pretty sight 

 to watch as it skims over the surface of the water, sometimes 

 striking it with its wings as it darts hither and thither, snapping 

 at the flies and insects which come within its reach. The 



18 



