166 RAMBLES ABOUT HOME. 



tion is, first, the effect of age. Now, it is as evident as 

 that birds grow old, that, in due course of time, these mi- 

 gratory swallows will reach that condition of decrepitude 

 when they can make their migratory journey from South 

 to North, or vice versa, for the last time. In such case, 

 there must necessarily be a large number that are left 

 behind, when the main body depart each year, unless it can 

 be shown that these aged birds die in the course of the sum- 

 mer at the North, or during their winter sojourn in the 

 South. Both statements are true. The result of a sum- 

 mer's study of a colony of bank-swallows revealed the fact 

 that a number of old unpaired swallows flitted feebly 

 about the bluff, but never appeared to wander far from it. 

 They were often seen sitting at the openings of the nests 

 in the cliff, and were taken for young birds. They were 

 not fed by old birds having young to look after, and 

 fared scantily on such insects as they caught by their own 

 exertions. Early in August I found many lying dead, 

 both in the burrowings and at the foot of the cliff. Ex- 

 amination proved that they all were old birds. In au- 

 tumn, about October 1st, the main body of the colony 

 largely frequent the weedy marshes, and seem to be for- 

 ever on the wing, insect-catching, as they move in an 

 endless labyrinth of curves over the quiet waters. I 

 have seen thousands of them thus engaged, far from their 

 nesting haunts. Occasionally they would alight upon 

 tall reeds and objects projecting above the water, and 

 twitter without ceasing. Then, as by a signal, these 

 thousands would rise together from their resting places, 

 and mounting to an unusal elevation fly away, to return 

 no more that season. 



These birds were associated colonies on their southern 

 migration ; but there were still left a few of those who 

 had here spent a joyous, gleesome summer. The lame, 



