106 



bright evening in November, I have heard high in the 

 air the redwing and the fieldfare on progress to a 

 destined settlement, manifested by the signal notes of 

 some leading birds to their scattered followers. These 

 conductors of their flocks are certainly birds acquainted 

 with the country over which they travel, their settle- 

 ments here being no promiscuous dispersion." * 



In Jenne, we are told by Rene Caillie, in his Travels 

 to Timbuctoo, there is a mosque built of earth, sur- 

 rounded by two massive but not high towers, rudely 

 constructed though not large. It is abandoned to 

 thousands of swallows, which build their nests in it. 

 In all probability, this is a very different species of 

 swallow from the common swallow (hirundo rustica), 

 which builds its nest in Britain. It is now nearly a 

 century since the swallow has made its appearance so 

 early in Britain as the present season. In 1736, they 

 were seen on the 30th of March, on which day they 

 were also observed in the present year. In consequence 

 of the heavy fall of snow, they entirely disappeared on 

 the 1st and 2d of April, and we did not observe any 

 till the 17th of that month, when we noticed a good 

 many in the vicinity of Hereford. 



" The swallow," says Sir H. Davy, " is the joyous 

 prophet of the year, and the harbinger of the best 

 season ; he lives a life of enjoyment amongst the 

 loveliest forms of nature ; winter is unknown to him, 

 and he leaves the green meadows of England in 

 autumn, for the myrtle and orange groves of Italy, and 

 the palms of Africa. Even the beings selected for his 

 prey are poetical, beautiful, and transient. His instinct, 

 which gives him his appointed seasons, and which 

 teaches him always when and where to move, may be 



* " Journal of a Naturalist," 1829, p. 211. 



