76 THE RIVER-SIDE NATURALIST. 



early in April, leaving us again in September or October 

 (some late broods even remain till November) for the sunny 

 climes of Africa, their migration having been successfully 

 traced by way of the Mediterranean to that continent. 

 What is more pleasant 



" Watching the swallow o'er the daisies flit," 



to contemplate on the wonderful power of wing which 

 enables this bird for hour after hour, high up in the blue 

 ether, or skimming the surface of river or meadow, to 

 search for its daily food ? 



If swallows fly low, country people say rain is coming. 

 A fall of temperature has driven the insects from the upper 

 air downwards ; the birds naturally follow their food. 



The following curious account of a surgical operation 

 performed by a parent swallow on one of its young is 

 almost too marvellous. It is taken from the Naturalist's 

 World for June 1886 : 



"THE SWALLOW AS A SURGEON. Dr. Walter F. Morgan, 

 of Leaven worth, Kan., sends to the Medical Record this 

 curious account of what may be called aviarian surgery, 

 related to him in 1876 by the late Joseph O'Brien, Esq., of 

 Cleveland, O. : ' On going into his barn Mr. O'Brien dis- 

 covered a swallow's nest ; and being a natural observer 

 and lover of animals, he climbed to the nest, and found in 

 it two young swallows, one being smaller and less vigorous 

 than the other, and having a slighter covering of feathers. 

 Upon taking the young bird in his hand, he was astonished 

 to find one of its legs very thoroughly bandaged with horse- 

 hairs. Having carefully removed the hairs one by one, he 

 was still more astonished to find that the nestling's leg 

 was broken. Mr. O'Brien carefully replaced the bird in its 

 nest, and resolved to await further developments. Upon 

 visiting the patient the next day, the leg was again found 

 bandaged as before. The bird-surgeon was not again in- 

 terfered with, and the case being kept under observation, 

 in about two weeks it was found that the hairs were being 

 cautiously removed, only a few each day ; and finally, when 

 all were taken off, the callus was distinctly felt, and the 



