-popular SKctianarn of 9mmatctt ^attire. 655 



spirit and audacity this bird dives and sweeps 

 upon and around the hawk or the eagle is 

 astonishing. He also bestows an occasional 

 bastinading on the King-bird when he finds 

 him too near his premises ; though he will, 

 at any time, instantly co-operate with him 

 in attacking the common enemy. Its note 

 is loud and musical. The colour of the male 

 is a rich and deep purplish blue, with the 

 wings and tail brownish-black : the female 

 is more plainly attired, and has the under 

 parts whitish, with dusky and yellowish 



PURPLE MART1K. (PROONK PDRPCBEA.) 



stains. The food of the Purple Martin is 

 usually the larger winged insects ; as wasps, 

 bees, large beetles, &c. In flight it possesses 

 all the swiftness, ease, and ^race of the tribe ; 

 sometimes sailing among the clouds at a 

 dizzy height, at others darling through the 

 crowded streets with the rapidity of thought. 

 It lavs from four to six eggs, which are pure 

 white. About the middle of April these 

 Martins first begin to prepare their nest, 

 which is formed of dry leaves, slender straws, 

 hay, and feathers. The first brood appears 

 in May, the second late in July. During 

 the period in which the female is laying, 

 and before she commences incubation, they 

 are both from home the greater part of the 

 day. When the female is sitting, she is fre- 

 quently visited by the male, who also occu- 

 pies her place while she takes a short recrea- 

 tion abroad. He often passes a quarter of 

 an hour in the apartment beside her ; and, 

 when not thus engaged, sits on the outside 

 dressing and arranging his plumage. His 

 notes, at this time, seem to have assumed 

 a peculiar softness, and his gratulations are 

 expressive of much tenderness. Conjugal 

 fidelity, even where there is a number to- 

 gether, seems to be faithfully preserved by 

 these birds. For ESCULENT SWALLOW and 

 SWIFT, see SWIKT. 



SWALLOW-TAIL [BUTTERFLIES]. 

 A name given by insect collectors to some 

 species of Butterflies of the genus Papilio. 



SWAN. (Cuffnw;.) A genus of web- 

 footed birds, distinguished by their graceful 

 and majestic appearance, their muscular 

 power, and superior size. The generic cha- 

 racter of Ciffnws is thus given : beak of equal 

 breadth throughout ; higher than wide at 

 the base, and depressed at the point ; both 

 mandibles furuished along the sides with 

 transverse serrated lamellas : the nostrils 

 placed about midway ; and the neck very 



long, and slender : legs short, the hind toe 

 small and free. They feed chiefly on the 

 seeds and roots of aquatic plants, and on the 

 grass which grows near the brink of the 

 water. The plumage of Swans, as in Geese, 

 is similar in both sexes, is moulted only 

 once in the year, and undergoes no seasonal 

 variation of colour t like Geese, also, they 

 attack with the same hissing note, strike 

 similarly with their wings ; and the male 

 guards the female during incubation, and 

 accompanies her while followed by her brood. 

 In their anatomical structure, although in* 

 finitely superior in size and beauty, and 

 easily recognized, they are so closely allied 

 to the Duck and Goose, that it is difficult to 

 point out distinctive characters. 



The WILD SWAW, or WHISTLIKO SWAW. 

 (Cyynus fertu.) This noble bird is nearly 

 five feet in length, above seven in breadth 

 with its wings extended, and weighs about 

 fifteen pounds. Its bill is black, covered at 

 the base with a yellowish white cere, the 

 bare space over the eye being yellow : the 

 entire plumage in adult birds is of a pure 

 white, and, next to the skin, they are clothed 

 with a thick fine down : the legs are black. 

 " They generally," says Bewick, " keep 

 together In small flocks, or families, except 

 I in the pairing season, and at the setting in 

 | of winter. At the latter period they assemble 

 i in multitudes, particularly on the large 

 riven and lakes of the thinly inhabited 



WHISTLIKO 8WA.N. (OTOtTtJS FIRU8.) 



northern ports of Europe, Asia, and America; 

 but vrhen the extremity of the weather 

 threatens to become insupportable, in order 

 to shun the gathering storm, they shape 

 their course, high in air, in divided and 

 diminished numbers, in search of milder 

 climates. In such seasons they are most 

 commonly seen in various parts of the British 

 isles, and in other more southern countries 

 of Europe : the same is observed of them 

 iu the North American states. They do not, 

 however, remain longer than till the ap- 

 proach of spring, when they again retire 

 northward to breed." The female makes 

 her nest of the withered leaves and stalks of 

 reeds and rushes, and usually lays six or 

 seven thick-shelled eggs, which in about 

 six weeks are hatched ; when both parents 

 unremittingly watch and guard them. 

 Much has been said in ancient times of the 

 singing of the Swan, and many beautiful 

 and poetical descriptions have been given 

 of its dying song. No fiction of natural 

 history, no fable of antiquity, was ever more 



