THE PERCHING BIRDS. 81 



a humming-bird. Like all the others of its race, 

 these birds come in early spring and remain until 

 some time in September ; but, whimsical creatures 

 that they are, they have been known to debate 

 the matter in August, and deciding affirmatively, 

 leave then. Perhaps this early move was not strictly 

 a migratory one, for sometimes it happens, many 

 days after the swallows are gone, that is, deserted 

 their nesting-places, they, or others, reappear and 

 people the air, but not the old-time roosts. These, 

 I take it, are swallows from some more northern 

 locality. 



As in all cases where birds of a kind keep to- 

 gether and live in so-called colonies, it is necessary 

 that some method shall be pursued by which con- 

 certed action without confusion can be obtained, so 

 among the swallows we find instead of an acknowl- 

 edged leader, an open congress without a chairman, 

 but where parliamentary rules are as well obeyed, if 

 not better, than, we will say, in our legislatures. It 

 is one of the most interesting of the annual occur- 

 rences among our birds to witness the congregating 

 of the barn-swallows of a neighborhood in August, 

 and see them, while perched in line on a telegraph-wire, 

 discuss the pros and cons of departure. It is fairly 

 safe to assume that this is their business at such a 

 time, for they never disperse, go home, and reassem- 

 ble. At least, I have never known them to do so ; 

 but then, if they always end by going, why discuss 

 the matter for a whole day? As it may be, the 

 whole procedure is a token of summer's ending, and 

 though there may be, and surely will be, weeks of 



