THE SWALLOW. 



Of this genus of perchers, we have three native spe- 

 cies — the bank, the chimney, and the window swallow. 

 The bank swallow is the smallest, is not near so plenti- 

 ful, but is more local. It is frequently seen about rivers, 

 where it makes a nest in the banks, but most commonlv 

 in sandpits, where it can more easily form a secure place 

 for its abode. The holes are generally horizontal, and 

 about two or three feet deep. 



This bird has been observed to cling with its sharp 

 claws to the face of a sandbank, and use its closed 

 bill, just as a miner would do his pickaxe, till it had 

 loosened a considerable portion of the hard sand, and 

 caused it to fall among the rubbish below. Some of 

 these swallows' holes are as nearly circular as if they 

 were marked out with a pair of compasses ; while others 

 are irregular in form, perhaps from the sand crumb- 

 ling more away than in other instances. The bird 

 always uses its own body to determine the propor- 

 tions of the gallery, perching on the circumference with 



