186 SWALLOWS. 



within barns and out-houses, against the rafters; and 

 60 she did in Virgil's time, 



' Ante 



Garrula quam tignis nidos suspendat hirundo." 



" Before the noisy swallow's nest depends, 



From the strong beam that through the roof extends." 



In Sweden, she builds in barns, and is called ladu 

 swala, (the barn-swallow.) Besides, in the warmer 

 parts of Europe, there are no chimneys to houses, ex- 

 cept they are English built : in these countries, she 

 constructs her nest in porches, and gateways, and 

 galleries, and open halls. 



Here and there a bird may affect some odd, pecu- 

 liar place ; as we have known a swallow build down 

 the shaft of an old well, through which chalk had 

 been formerly drawn up, for the purpose of manure ; 

 but, in general, with us this hirundo breeds in chim- 

 neys, and loves to haunt those stacks where there is 

 a constant fire no doubt for the sake of warmth. 

 Not that it can subsist in the immediate shaft where 

 there is a fire ; but prefers one adjoining to that of 

 the kitchen, and disregards the perpetual smoke of 

 that funnel, as I have often observed with some de- 

 gree of wonder. 



Five or six, or more feet down the chimney, does 

 this little bird begin to form her nest, about the 

 middle of May, which consists, like that of the house- 

 martin, of a crust or shell composed of dirt or mud, 

 mixed with short pieces of straw, to render it tough 

 and permanent ; with this difference, that whereas 

 the shell of the martin is nearly hemispheric, that of 

 the swallow is open at the top, and like half a deep 

 dish : this nest is lined with fine grasses, and fea- 

 thers, which are often collected as they float in the 

 air. 



