OF NEW ENGLAND. 143 



size, afford them, among cob webbed rafters, plenty of suitable 

 nesting-places. I shall sketch the habits of these birds by con- 

 sidering their manner of life, through the latter's various 

 stages. 



The Barn Swallows, when young, are constantly supplied 

 with food by their parents, until they are able to take short 

 flights from beam to beam in the barns. Later, they venture 

 from these buildings, but are obliged to be at rest much of the 

 time and still to be fed by their parents. As they become 

 more accustomed to the exercise of their wings, they fly more 

 boldly, procure much or all of their own food, and are by the 

 first of September strong enough to bear the fatigue of their 

 long migratory flights to the South. On their return in the 

 spring, they are capable of remaining on wing through at least 

 fifteen hours of the twenty-four. Their manner of flight is 

 rapid and graceful, and so interesting as to well repay close at- 

 tention. They rarely fly far near the ground, nor do they reach 

 such a height as some other species. They prefer telegraph- 

 wires to other perches, and on these long rows of them may 

 often be seen ; and in fact these wires seem almost to influ- 

 ence these birds in their choice of a summer-home. 



It was formerly believed that the Barn Swallows, and others, 

 passed the winter torpid in mud at the bottom of lakes, and 

 in caves. Much astounding evidence has been produced to 

 prove the correctness of this absurd theory, which is, however, 

 too unnatural to long exist under the regime of modern sci- 

 ence. Wilson is eloquent in his condemnation of this belief, 

 and considers it too ridiculous to be worthy of serious refuta- 

 tion, which is, in fact, the case. 



(d). The young Barn Swallows often utter a series of twit- 

 ters, which resemble the laugh of a tickled child, and the older 

 birds also have various twitters, some of which are sprightly 

 and musical. 



(e). I shall not describe at length the twitters and guttural 

 cries of the various swallows, both because they are more 

 easily learned than described, and because when described can 

 hardly aid one in distinguishing the different species. 



