248 



HIRUNDINID^. 



headed Bunting, Chiff Chaff, Glossy Ibis, Golden Oriole, 

 Hoopoe, Nightjar, Quail, Redstart, Turtle Dove, Wagtail, 

 Wheatear, Whitethroat, both species, Willow Wren, 

 Woodchat, and Wryneck. " All the birds seen on migra- 

 tion bore right on in the course they had come, whether 

 they rested temporarily on the vessel or otherwise. They 

 all came from a southerly direction, either due south, south- 

 west, or south-east. The wind was moderate, the weather 

 fine and dry during the whole passage, so that all the 

 species we saw were in the ordinary course of migration, 

 and none driven to the ship by any stress of weather." 



The following table gives the mean date of arrival of 

 four of the species of this family at different localities on 

 their route, derived from a communication to the Linnean 

 Society by Thomas Forster, Esq., to be taken with some 

 limitation depending on the character of the season. 



Arrived in this country, Swallows seem to prefer those 

 habitations of man which are in the vicinity of water, 

 whether of river or lake, probably as affording a greater 

 abundance, as well as variety, of the winged insect food 

 upon which they entirely subsist. These are sought for in 

 the air during the greater part of the day, the power of 

 flight enjoyed by these birds, and indeed by all the species 

 of this interesting family, enabling them to remain on the 

 wing for hours in succession in pursuit of their prey, with- 

 out any apparent lassitude. In May the situation for the 



