The Burgess Bird Book for Children 



I've never found out where he builds his nest. 

 I've seen him skimming over the Green Meadows 

 times without number, and often he comes here 

 to the Old Orchard as he did just now, but I've 

 never seen him stop anywhere except over on 

 that barn." 



"That's where he nests," chuckled Skimmer. 



" What ? " cried Johnny Chuck. "Do you mean 

 to say he nests on Farmer Brown's barn?" 



"No," replied Skimmer. "He nests in it. 

 That's why he is called the Barn Swallow, and 

 why you never have seen his nest. If you'll just 

 go over to Farmer Brown's barn and look up in 

 the roof, you'll see Forktail's nest there some- 

 where." 



! "Me go over to Farmer Brown's barn!" ex- 

 claimed Johnny Chuck. "Do you think I'm 

 crazy?" 



Skimmer chuckled. "Forktail isn't crazy," said 

 he, "and he goes in and out of that barn all day 

 long. I must say I wouldn't care to build in such 

 a place myself, but he seems to like it. There's 

 one thing about it, his home is warm and dry and 

 comfortable, no matter what the weather is. I 

 wouldn't trade with him, though. No, sir, I 

 wouldn't trade with him for anything. Give me 

 a hollow in a tree well lined with feathers to a nest 

 made of mud and straw, even if it is feather-lined." 

 [116] 



