132 A SWALLOW-WOOING 



proofs of it. While I was one evening watch- 

 ing a party circling about over the lawn as 

 usual, a bird left the group and swooped 

 down at a solemn robin pursuing his food- 

 hunt on the lawn and in no way interfering 

 with the swallow. The robin flew up with 

 indignant outcry, ready to fight, but the 

 aggressor " flit in his glee." 



Again, some hens were turned out into 

 a field over which these birds were flying. 

 At once the swallows began dashing down 

 at the hens, almost touching them, and mak- 

 ing them dodge and run. They did not cease 

 till the hens retired to a rocky ledge, when 

 the swallows resumed their sailing over the 

 meadow. Swallows also came down threaten- 

 ingly at a kingbird, but though he dodged, 

 he did not go, and they did not repeat it. 



It was a common thing to see them mob 

 the cat, and they did it so successfully, sweep- 

 ing down one after another in close succes- 

 sion and so near her that she was glad to run 

 and hide. 



Once, in another place, I saw them drive 

 a kingfisher from a fence-post where he had 

 established himself to watch the water below. 



