540 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



Phete by J. T. Ntwmitm 



YOUNG SWALLOWS 



For hundreds of years it has been regarded as most unlucky to kill a ywaU<rw 



All are more or less migratory in their habits, some covering enormous distances in 

 journeying to and fro between their winter retreats and their summer breeding-places. The 

 COMMON SWALLOW and HOUSE-MARTIN, for example, leave the shores of Africa early in the 

 spring, and distribute themselves over Europe, thousands visiting the British Islands. After 

 rearing in their respective breeding-places from two to three broods, they return with their 

 offspring before the rigours of winter set in to the African Continent. The routes and 



destinations of the swallow 

 are now well known ; but as 

 much cannot be said for the 

 house-martin, whose winter 

 quarters are as yet enshrouded 

 in mystery. That they must 

 be somewhere in Africa is all 

 that can at present be said. 



Three species of the 

 Swallow Tribe visit England 

 regularly every year, and re- 

 main to breed. These are the 

 COMMON or CHIMNEY-SWAL- 

 LOW, and the HOUSE-MARTIN 

 just referred to, and the little 

 SAND-MARTIN. In the two first mentioned the upper-parts are of a dark steel-blue colour 

 with a metallic gloss, but they are, nevertheless, easily distinguished one from another, since 

 the swallow has a deeply forked tail, and a bright chestnut patch on the throat, with a 

 similarly coloured band across the forehead ; whilst the martin lacks the chestnut markings, and is 

 pure white beneath, with a large white patch on the lower part of the back, and a less markedly 

 forked tail. Furthermore, the legs of the martin are feathered down to the claws, whilst 

 the feet of the swallow are bare. The sand-martin is a little greyish-brown bird, with white 

 under-parts. It is the earliest of the Swallow Tribe to arrive in Britain, and the first to depart. 



LYRE-BIRDS AND SCRUB-BIRDS 



At the beginning of the account of the Perching-birds it was stated that the group was 

 divided into two sections, and that each of these was further sub-divided into two. With the 

 Swallows the first sub-division of the first section ended ; the second we are to consider now in 

 the very singular LYRE-BIRDS and SCRUB-BIRDS of Australia. 



Rendered conspicuous on account of the remarkable lyrate tail, from which the name is 

 derived, the LYRE-BIRDS, on closer acquaintance, prove to be exceedingly interesting forms, 

 though materials for a really complete biography of the three known species a>-e not yet 

 available. The males, it seems, are skilled mimics, reproducing the songs of other birds with 

 great fidelity, this being especially true of the species known as PRINCE ALBERT'S LYRE-BIRD. 

 During the courting-season the males construct hillocks, to which they resort to display their 

 very beautiful and graceful tails, elevating them over the head, and drooping the wings after 

 the fashion of a peacock, accompanying this display with certain spasmodic pecking and 

 scratching actions. They are solitary birds, more than a pair never being seen together, and 

 even these are exceedingly difficult to approach, stratagem always being necessary. But a 

 single egg is laid, which has the appearance of being smeared with ink ; whilst the young 

 bird differs from that of all other pcrching-birds in the thickness of its downy covering and 

 the great length of time in which it remains in the nest. The nest, made of sticks, moss, 

 and fibres skilfully interwoven, and lined inside with the leaf of a tree-fern which resembles 

 horse-hair, is a large domed structure, with a single aperture serving as an entrance. 



Lyre-birds are essentially ground-dwellers, feeding upon insects, especially beetles and 

 snails, and keeping to the wilder regions of the country. 



